PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Sex: Female Menopausal status: Not specified Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Granulocyte count at least 1500/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL Calcium no greater than 11.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No history of arrhythmias No history of other significant cardiac diseases No New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac function Left ventricular ejection fraction at least 50% Pulmonary: No symptomatic lymphangitic pulmonary metastases Other: Not pregnant Negative pregnancy test No history of other malignancy except: Carcinoma in situ of the cervix Curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer No severe infection No severe malnutrition No other serious medical illness No history of grade 3-4 peripheral neuropathy