PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Any age Performance status: WHO 0-2 Life expectancy: At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic: Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL Leukocytes at least 4,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 75,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST less than 1.25 times ULN Renal: BUN less than 30 mg/dL AND Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Other: No prior or other concurrent malignancies, other than properly treated basal cell skin cancer