S0716 Vandetanib and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced solid tumor, including, but not limited to the following: * Non-small cell lung cancer * Metastatic breast cancer * Hormone-refractory prostate cancer * Locally recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (including thyroid origin) * Disease for which no standard therapy exists * Tumor amenable to biopsy * Measurable or non-measurable disease * Brain metastases allowed provided patient has undergone brain irradiation (whole brain or gamma knife) AND the metastases have been clinically and radiologically stable for ≥ 6 weeks after completion of irradiation * Patients requiring corticosteroids or anticonvulsants for brain metastases must be on a stable or decreasing dose of corticosteroids and seizure free for ≥ 28 days before study enrollment PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Zubrod performance status 0-1 * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * SGOT or SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * PT/INR ≤ 1.1 times normal * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.8 times ULN OR measured or estimated creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment * Willing to undergo two tumor biopsies and blood and tissue sample submission for correlative laboratory studies * No clinically significant cardiovascular event, including…