OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study. Patients receive intravenous amifostine over 10 minutes on day 0, followed by intravenous cyclophosphamide and carboplatin consecutively over 5-15 minutes. Sargramostim is administered subcutaneously on days -7 to -2 and again beginning on day 1 until absolute neutrophil count is appropriate. Course is repeated every 28 days until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects are observed. Nonresponding patients discontinue treatment after 2 courses. Patients are treated for a maximum of 6 courses. Groups of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of cyclophosphamide and carboplatin until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. If dose limiting toxicity (DLT) occurs in 2 of 6 patients at a given dose level, then dose escalation ceases and the next lower dose is declared the MTD.