PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: Greater than 16 weeks Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL (without blood transfusion(s) within 2 weeks prior to study) Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No cardiac failure No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months No uncontrolled hypertension LVEF greater than 50% Other: Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 3 months after study No known hypersensitivity to polysorbate or polyethylene glycol No other malignancies within past 5 years, except basal cell skin cancer No other acute or chronic medical, psychiatric, or lab abnormality that would prevent compliance No uncontrolled peptic ulcer No active infection No contraindication to mitoxantrone therapy No contraindication to prednisone therapy