PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Not specified Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: Greater than 2 months Hematopoietic: Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin greater than 1 mg/dL SGOT greater than 2 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine less than 2 mg/dL Hydronephrosis with impaired renal function must be decompressed adequately Cardiovascular: No severe cardiac (i.e., symptomatic arrhythmia requiring medication or active congestive heart failure) or coronary disease that are unstable despite medication Other: Adequate nutritional status (at least 1,500 Kcal/day) No other significant active medical illness that would preclude study therapy or survival No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin No acute spinal cord compression