BI 2536 in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Tumor-specific criteria: * Head and neck cancer: * Histologically or cytologically proven squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (excluding nasopharyngeal primaries) * Patients presenting with new non-irradiated lesions in pre-irradiated field as target lesions are eligible * Recurrent or metastatic disease, no longer suitable for local therapy * Prior use of chemotherapy/chemoradiotherapy/EGFR inhibitors for the treatment of the primary disease/nonmetastatic disease is allowed * No prior chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease * Prior treatment with EGFR inhibitor for metastatic advanced disease is allowed * Breast cancer * Histologically proven recurrent or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast that failed prior taxane and anthracycline therapy * Patient must have had a minimum of one line and a maximum of 2 lines of chemotherapy treatment given either as adjuvant treatment or for recurrence/metastatic disease * Patients who do not qualify for Her-2-based therapy allowed * Hormone receptor status not specified * Ovarian cancer * Histologically proven ovarian epithelial cancer * Metastatic or inoperable locally advanced disease * Patients either progressing under or relapsing within 6 months of completion of any line of platinum and taxane-based therapeutic regimen for advanced disease * Soft tissue sarcoma * Histologically proven advanced and/or metastatic malignant soft tissue sarcoma of high or…