Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed germ cell tumor (GCT) (seminoma or non-seminoma) meeting the
following criteria:

- Measurable metastatic disease by one of the following methods:

- Radiography

- If eligibility is defined by measurable disease only, there must be at
least 1 site that has not been previously irradiated

- Alpha-fetoprotein greater than 15 ng/mL and/or ß-human chorionic
gonadotropin greater than 2.2 mIU/L

- Previously treated progressive disease meeting 1 of the following criteria:

- Not a candidate for potentially curative therapy OR has already received
high-dose chemotherapy regimens (prior paclitaxel allowed)

- Deemed to be cisplatin-refractory after prior cisplatin-based regimen AND does
not want to have potentially curative high-dose therapy (mediastinal or primary
refractory GCT)

- Prior treatment with 1 cisplatin-based regimen (primary mediastinal
nonseminomatous GCT)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 16 and over

Performance status

- Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

Hepatic

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal

- SGOT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal

- Creatinine no greater than 2.2 mg/dL

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- No active infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- No other concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- Not specified

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

- Not specified

Other

- No other concurrent experimental or commercial anticancer medications or therapies