Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma

- Measurable or evaluable disease

- Ineligible for other high-priority study

- No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Over 18

Performance status:

- SWOG 0-2

- Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

- More than 2 months

Hematopoietic:

- WBC greater than 3,000/mm3

- Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 1.5 times normal

Renal:

- Creatinine clearance at least 45 mL/min

- BUN less than 1.5 times normal

- No significant calcium abnormalities

Cardiovascular:

- No symptomatic cardiovascular disease

- No New York Heart Association class II, III, or IV heart disease

- No congestive heart failure

- No angina pectoris

- No cardiac arrhythmia

- No uncontrolled hypertension

Other:

- No significant phosphate, electrolyte, or other metabolic abnormalities (e.g.,
metabolic acidosis)

- No uncontrolled psychiatric disorder or neurologic disease

- No seizure disorder

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated carcinoma in
situ of the cervix or skin cancer

- No other serious medical or psychiatric illness

- No uncontrolled serious infection

- No senility or emotional instability

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens

- No more than 1 prior intraperitoneal chemotherapy regimen

- More than 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy

- No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- No concurrent hormonal therapy except for nondisease-related conditions (e.g.,
insulin for diabetes)

- Concurrent steroids for antiemesis, premedication, adrenal failure, or septic shock
allowed

Radiotherapy:

- No prior abdominal, pelvic, or lower chest radiotherapy

Surgery:

- Prior surgical resection preceding disease recurrence allowed

- More than 1 week since prior surgery