PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 70 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Neutrophil count at least 2000/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL Hepatic: (Unless caused by tumor) Bilirubin no greater than 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN) SGOT or SGPT no greater than 1.25 times ULN Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Other: No other serious medical illness No prior or concurrent malignancy except curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix