PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 61 and over Performance status: WHO 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: See Disease Characteristics White blood count no greater than 30,000/mm3 unless reducible to less than 30,000/mm3 by a maximum of 7 days of hydroxyurea Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Renal: Creatinine no greater than 3 times ULN Cardiovascular: No severe heart failure that would preclude study Pulmonary: No severe lung failure that would preclude study Other: No other concurrent malignancies No active uncontrolled infection No concurrent severe neurological or psychiatric disease No psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition that would preclude compliance with study HIV negative