PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 16 to 70 Performance Status: SWOG 0-1 Karnofsky 80-100% Life Expectancy: At least 2 months Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 2.0 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (unless tumor related) SGOT and SGPT less than 2.0 times ULN (unless tumor related) Alkaline phosphatase less than 2.0 times ULN (unless tumor related) Renal: Creatinine within institutional normal limits Cardiovascular: Cardiac ventricular ejection fraction (MUGA) or echocardiogram within normal limits prior to high dose chemotherapy No uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease No myocardial infarction within 6 months No congestive heart failure No symptomatic angina No life threatening arrhythmias No hypertension Pulmonary: Pulmonary function tests greater than 75% predicted normal Room air arterial blood gases within normal limits Other: Not HIV positive Not hepatitis B surface antigen positive Not hepatitis C antibody positive No serious organ dysfunction (unless caused by breast cancer) No active bacterial, viral, or fungal infections No active peptic ulcers No uncontrolled diabetes Not pregnant Effective contraceptive method must be used during study Negative pregnancy test