PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Sex: Male or female Menopausal status: Not specified Performance status: SWOG 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL SGOT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (no greater than 5 times ULN if metastatic to liver) Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Calcium no greater than 12 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No myocardial infarction within 3 months prior to study No unstable angina or symptomatic congestive heart failure Other: No active or uncontrolled infection Not HIV positive No psychoses Not pregnant or nursing Effective contraception required of fertile women No second malignancy within past 5 years except: Adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin In situ cancer of the cervix