OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the early efficacy and toxicity profile of high-dose cisplatin, etoposide, bleomycin, and amifostine in children with newly diagnosed, high-risk malignant, extragonadal germ cell tumors. II. Determine whether the use of amifostine can reduce the hematologic and nonhematologic toxic effects of this combination chemotherapy in these patients when compared to similar patients treated on POG-9049/CCG-8881 with the same combination chemotherapy. III. Determine the response rate of patients treated with this regimen.