Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically proven or presumptive diagnosis of hepatocellular
carcinoma

- Presumptive diagnosis based on rising alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels over 2
assessments, CT scan or MRI of liver, spiral CT scan of portal/splenic vein, and
biopsy evidence of cirrhosis

- Unresectable or recurrent disease after prior surgical resection or embolization
therapy

- Fibrolamellar histology allowed if considered surgically unresectable based on tumor
size, extrahepatic involvement, or multiple lobe involvement

- CLIP (Cancer of the Liver Italian Program) score less than 4

- Concurrent assignment to a transplantation list allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,200/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 80,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 3.0 mg/dL (except for known Gilbert's Syndrome)

- AST no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- PT no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

- No uncontrolled hypertension within the past 3 months

- No unstable angina, symptomatic congestive heart failure, or myocardial infarction
within the past 3 months

- No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No active bacterial infections

- HIV negative

- No AIDS

- No other primary malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or urinary bladder
or non-melanoma skin cancer

- No mental incapacitation or psychiatric illness that would preclude study
participation

- No other severe disease that would preclude study participation

- Candidate for placement of a central venous access device

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Prior biologic therapy allowed

- No concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

- No prior IV doxorubicin except intraarterial administration in locoregional therapy

Endocrine therapy:

- Prior endocrine therapy allowed

- No concurrent endocrine therapy

Radiotherapy:

- Prior radiotherapy allowed

- No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

- Surgery allowed if previously unresectable lesions become resectable

- Recovered from any prior surgery

- No concurrent liver transplantation

Other:

- No other concurrent investigational or marketed anticancer drugs

- No other concurrent therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

- No concurrent terfenadine, astemizole, or cisapride that may not be interrupted
during nolatrexed dihydrochloride administration