Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

- Histology demonstrates major clear cell component

- Metastatic (stage IV) or recurrent disease

- Prior debulking nephrectomy required

- Disease not amenable to complete surgical resection

- Must have HLA-identical donor

- Matched related sibling donors must have 6/6 serologic HLA A, B, and DR match
with molecular confirmation at DRB1

- A 5/6 serologic mismatch with one antigen mismatch at locus A or B (not DR)
with molecular confirmation at locus A, B, and DRB1 allowed

- Matched unrelated donors must have a minimum of 8 out of 10 molecular matches at
loci A, B, C, DRB1, and DQB1

- No brain metastases

- Negative MRI required

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 to 65

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 80-100% OR

- ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Not specified

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- ALT/AST less than 2 times ULN

- Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN

- Hepatitis A, B, and C negative

Renal:

- Creatinine clearance greater than 50 mL/min

- Calcium less than 10.5 mg/dL (bisphosphonates allowed)

Cardiovascular:

- LVEF no less than 10% below lower limit of normal

Pulmonary:

- FEV_1 and DLCO greater than 50%

Other:

- HIV negative

- No active bacterial, fungal, or viral (including cytomegalovirus) infections

- No intolerance or allergy to tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, or fludarabine

- No intolerance to 200 cGy of total body irradiation

- No other serious comorbid disease, neurologic condition, or psychosocial condition
that would preclude study follow-up

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception for at least 1 month before,
during, and for at least 3 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Prior interleukin-2 allowed

- Prior interferon alfa allowed

Chemotherapy:

- Prior chemotherapy allowed

- No other concurrent chemotherapy for RCC

Endocrine therapy:

- No concurrent corticosteroids for other comorbid disease

Radiotherapy:

- No prior extensive radiotherapy to marrow microenvironment greater than 20% of total
marrow mass

- No prior radiotherapy that has reached tissue tolerance for heart, lung, liver,
kidney, or spinal cord

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

Other:

- No other concurrent therapy for RCC

- No concurrent enrollment on another investigational protocol for treatment of RCC

- No other concurrent immunosuppressive medications

- No other concurrent investigational drugs