Azacitidine Plus Phenylbutyrate in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors That Have Not Responded to Previous Treatment

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells.
PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of azacitidine plus phenylbutyrate in treating patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors that have not responded to previous treatment.