PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 75 and under Performance status: WHO 0 or 1 Hematopoietic: WBC greater than 3,000 Platelets greater than 130,000 Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Creatinine less than 1.4 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No unstable angina No cardiac decompensation Other: No prior or concurrent malignancy