Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically proven liver cancer meeting 1 of the following
criteria:

- Primary unresectable hepatocellular or cholangiocellular carcinoma

- Metastatic cancer to the liver originating from one of the following:

- Intraocular melanoma (closed to accrual as of 10/17/03)

- Islet cell carcinoma

- Adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum limited to parenchyma of the liver

- No evidence of other unresectable extrahepatic colorectal metastasis

- Other neuroendocrine tumors, such as carcinoid tumors

- Measurable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Any age

Performance status:

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

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

- Hematocrit greater than 27.0%

- WBC at least 2,500/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL (3.0 mg/dL for patients with Gilbert's syndrome)

- PT no greater than 2 seconds above upper limit of normal

- Elevated SGOT and SGPT allowed if not due to hepatitis

- No biopsy-proven cirrhosis or evidence of significant portal hypertension

- No prior or concurrent veno-occlusive disease

- Patients with positive hepatitis B or C surface antigen serology and chronic active
hepatitis are eligible provided there is no evidence of cirrhosis

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR

- Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- Congestive heart failure allowed if LVEF ≥ 40%

Pulmonary:

- No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other chronic pulmonary disease with
pulmonary function tests less than 50% predicted for age

Other:

- Weight greater than 30 kg

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- No active infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- At least 1 month since prior anticancer biologic therapy and recovered

Chemotherapy:

- At least 1 month since prior anticancer chemotherapy and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- At least 1 month since prior anticancer radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

- Not specified

Other:

- Prior intrahepatic arterial infusion therapy allowed

- No chronic use of anticoagulants

- No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy