PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Sex: Female Menopausal status: Not specified Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: At least 12 weeks Hematopoietic: Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL Hepatic: ALT and AST no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times ULN Renal: Calcium no greater than 1.2 times ULN Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular: No active uncontrolled cardiac disease and/or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix No other serious systemic disorder precluding study No active infection No severe psychiatric disease No history of hypersensitivity reactions to polyoxyethylated castor oil-based drugs