Epoetin Alfa in Treating Patients With Anemia Who Are Undergoing Chemotherapy for Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed nonmyeloid cancer * No history of myelodysplasia * Baseline hemoglobin 11-12 g/dL * No anemia due to factors other than cancer or chemotherapy (e.g., iron, cyanocobalamin \[vitamin B\_12\], or folate deficiencies, hemolysis, or gastrointestinal bleeding) * Receiving chemotherapy that meets the following criteria: * Administered weekly OR every 3 weeks * Must begin chemotherapy on or before the first day of study treatment * No known, untreated CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * At least 6 months Hematopoietic * See Disease Characteristics * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 (transfusion independent) * Iron transferrin saturation \> 20% * No history of chronic hypercoagulable disorders (e.g., activated protein C resistance, anti-cardiolipin disorder, protein C deficiency, or protein S deficiency) Hepatic * Bilirubin \< 2.0 mg/dL * SGPT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal Renal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * No significant, uncontrolled genitourinary disease or dysfunction Cardiovascular * No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia in the past 6 months * No uncontrolled hypertension * No deep vein thrombosis, ischemic stroke, or other arterial or venous thrombotic events * Superficial thromboses allowed * No other significant, uncontrolled cardiovascular disease or dysfunction Pulmonary * No significant, uncontrolled pulmonar…