OUTLINE: Patients are stratified by number of prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens, prior radiotherapy, and HIV/AIDS status. Patients receive bleomycin by continuous infusion for 72 hours every 3 weeks. Induction therapy consists of 3 cycles. Patients who achieve complete remission receive 2 more cycles. Patients with partial remission or stable disease may continue therapy until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurs. Quality of life assessments are conducted at beginning of therapy, every 3 weeks, and at completion of treatment. Patients are followed every 3 months for overall survival.