PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: CALGB 0-3 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal Other: No medical condition requiring chronic use of oral corticosteroids Direct antiglobulin test or direct Coombs test negative Not pregnant Effective contraception required of all fertile patients