PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Adult under 80 (i.e., of legal age to sign own informed consent according to institutional policy) Performance status: Karnofsky 90-100% ECOG 0 Hematopoietic: Granulocytes at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine less than 2.26 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No arrhythmia Other: No infection No other medical condition that is uncontrolled or could be aggravated by the protocol therapy No prior or concurrent second cancer except: Nonmelanomatous skin cancer In situ cervical cancer No pregnant women Adequate contraception required of fertile patients Blood/body fluid analyses to determine eligibility and quality-of-life questionnaire completed within 14 days prior to randomization; imaging studies of sites of disease completed within 28 days prior to randomization