PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 75 and under Performance status: WHO 0-2 Life expectancy: At least 3 months Hematopoietic: Granulocyte count at least 2,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.7 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.3 mg/dL Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: No myocardial infarction within past 12 months No coronary heart disease requiring drug therapy Congestive heart failure or arrhythmia treatable with standard medication allowed Other: No active infection No history of severe mental disorder No other malignancy within past 10 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanoma skin cancer Not pregnant