OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study of paclitaxel. Patients receive a 10 minute infusion of amifostine followed by paclitaxel given intravenously over 3 hours followed by carboplatin given over 30 minutes. Filgrastim (G-CSF) is given subcutaneously daily for up to 10 days by self administration starting the following day. Treatment repeats every 28 days for at least 3 courses unless disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurs. Patients who develop dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) on a given course receive one dose level lower on the next and subsequent courses. Patients with stable disease may continue treatment for as long as benefit is shown. In the absence of DLT in the first 3 patients treated, subsequent cohorts of 3 patients each receive escalating doses of paclitaxel on the same schedule. If DLT occurs in 1 of 3 patients at a given dose level, then 3 additional patients are added at that dose. If DLT occurs in 1 additional patient, this dose is the maximum tolerated dose (MTD); if DLT occurs in more than 2 patients, then 3 additional patients are added at the previous dose. If DLT occurs in no more than 2 of 6 patients, this dose is considered the MTD. At any dose, 3 cases of DLT leads to discontinuation of recruitment at that dose.