DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Diagnosis of malignant disease eligible for chemotherapy Scheduled to receive a regimen of chemotherapy containing IV cyclophosphamide or carboplatin, with or without other chemotherapy agents Cyclophosphamide must be given at a dose of 500-1,200 mg/m2 Carboplatin must be given at a dose of at least 300 mg/m2 unless Calvert dosing equation (using target AUC of 6 mg/mL/min) requires less than 300 mg/m2 Doxorubicin, if given, must be infused within a period not exceeding 1 hour Minimum doses are to be based on actual body weight Other emetogenic or nonemetogenic agents are permitted to be included in the day 0 chemotherapy regimen without restriction on dose Emetogenic agents must be given as part of cyclophosphamide-based or carboplatin-based regimen on day 0 and not at another time within the 72 hour period Cyclophosphamide, carboplatin, or doxorubicin must be the first emetogenic agent given No cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP) regimen No primary or secondary (from metastatic disease) brain neoplasm with: Signs or symptoms of increased intracranial pressure OR Brain metastases requiring treatment within 30 days of study entry No signs or symptoms of cerebral edema Symptomatically "silent" metastasis allowed