PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 55 to under 75 Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: See Disease Characteristics Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) ALT and AST less than 4 times ULN Renal: Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min Cardiovascular: Cardiac ejection fraction at least 40% No poorly controlled hypertension Pulmonary: No severe defects in pulmonary function testing No requirement for supplementary continuous oxygen