Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed, measurable germ cell cancer relapsed or refractory after
frontline therapy with cisplatin and etoposide-containing chemotherapy

- Other chemotherapy-sensitive solid tumors eligible (as of 06/11/97)

- Possibility of residual mass representing benign teratoma must be excluded

- Elevated serum tumor markers only are acceptable if possibilities of false-positive
serum tumor markers or sanctuary disease have been excluded

- Also eligible after two to four cycles of conventional dose salvage chemotherapy,
regardless of response

- No CNS or bone marrow involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

- Greater than 2 months

Hematopoietic:

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3

- Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, and SGPT less than 3 times upper limit of
normal, unless due to disease

Renal:

- Creatinine less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal

- Creatinine clearance at least 60 ml/min

Cardiovascular:

- Ventricular ejection fraction at least 45%

- No uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease including recent myocardial
infarction, congestive heart failure, angina, life-threatening arrhythmia, or
hypertension

Pulmonary:

- DLCO and spirometry greater than 50% of predicted

Other:

- Not HIV positive

- No active peptic ulcer

- No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus

- No active infection

- No previous or concomitant malignancy other than curatively treated basal or squamous
cell carcinoma of the skin

- Not HBsAG positive

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No prior high-dose carboplatin, etoposide, or cyclophosphamide

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- Not specified

Surgery:

- Not specified