OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to liver function (normal vs mild vs moderate vs severe). Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who achieve complete remission (CR) receive 2 additional courses past CR. Within each abnormal liver function stratum, cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of docetaxel until the maximum tolerated dose is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Within each abnormal liver function stratum, more than 6 patients are treated at the MTD, if possible. Patients in the normal liver function stratum are included as control patients and are followed for toxicity, but do not undergo dose escalation. Patients are followed for survival.