PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: WHO 0-2 Life expectancy: Greater than 3 months Hematopoietic: Neutrophil count greater than 1500/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin greater than 9 g/dL Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 times normal Transaminases less than 2 times normal (less than 4 times normal if due to liver metastases) Renal: Creatinine less than 1.6 mg/dL Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min Other: No contraindication to anthracycline treatment No unstable major organ defect No prior malignancy except basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the uterus Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception