PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC greater than 4,000/mm3 Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN) SGOT no greater than 1.5 times ULN Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 5 times ULN Renal: Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease No chronic or unstable angina No uncontrolled congestive heart failure No arrhythmia No chronic angina No myocardial infarction in the past 1 year If history of atherosclerotic heart disease, prior cardiac catheterization or thallium stress test must not suggest coronary artery disease Neurology: No symptomatic peripheral neuropathy greater than grade 2 No cerebellar disease No seizure disorder No organic mental syndrome No major psychoaffective disorder Pulmonary: No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease No chronic bronchitis, emphysema, sarcoid, or bronchiectasis Other: No poorly controlled diabetes mellitus No psychiatric illness No active infections, including AIDS, ARC, or HIV positive No history of hypersensitivity to products containing Polysorbate 80 No history of uncontrolled alcohol or drug abuse No uncontrolled hypercalcemia No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years other than nonmelanomatous skin cancer or cervical carcinoma in situ Not pregnant or nursing Adequate contraception required of all fertile patients