PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy: Greater than 3 months Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,800/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL Hepatic: BUN no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times ULN Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 70 mL/min Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study No other clinically significant medical disease that is poorly controlled and/or expected to impact patient survival or that would preclude study therapy No significant cognitive impairment No serious active infection requiring intravenous antibiotic or antiviral therapy No clinical AIDS No primary immunodeficiencies No other concurrent active malignancy No history of sensitivity to ganciclovir or other antiviral drugs of this family No prior severe reaction to adenovirus or herpes virus infection (e.g., toxic epidermal necrolysis or Stevens-Johnson syndrome)