OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study of octreotide. Patients receive doxorubicin IV over 5 minutes on day 1 of course 1. For all subsequent courses, patients receive octreotide SC continuously on days 1-7 and doxorubicin IV over 5 minutes on day 5. Treatment continues every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with stable or responsive disease after 3 courses of therapy receive a maximum of 6 additional courses. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of octreotide until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 6 patients experience dose limiting toxicity.