PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 18 to 70 Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 2,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 150,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) SGOT and SGPT less than 2 times ULN Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance greater than 70 mL/min Cardiovascular: No contraindication to fluorouracil IV No coronary artery disease greater than grade 2 No unstable heart disease Other: No other malignancy except basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix Not pregnant Fertile patients must use effective contraception