PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: CALGB 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,500/mm3 Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 OR Platelet count at least 75,000/mm3 in patients with clinically documented sequestration or hemodilution unrelated to primary bone marrow insufficiency Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Transaminases no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No significant underlying medical or psychiatric illness No active infections No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer and carcinoma in situ of the cervix