PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Adult Performance status: ECOG 0-1 OR Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count greater than 2,000/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin greater than 8 g/dL Hepatic: Transaminases less than 1.5 times normal Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine less than 1.8 mg/dL Other: No concurrent severe medical problems Calorie intake of at least 1500 kcal/day No history of active malignancy within one year except: Basal cell carcinoma of the skin Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin Superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia Stage I cancer of the endometrium Stage I cancer of the upper aerodigestive tract