DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)

  • At least 14 cutaneous lesions, 12 of which are bidimensionally measurable and can serve as marker lesions

    • Each lesion must measure at least 0.5 cm in diameter
• Serologically confirmed HIV infection
• No known active visceral KS
• No symptomatic KS-related edema that interferes with function or requires cytotoxic therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 16 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 750/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 75,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

  • Elevated bilirubin secondary to indinavir therapy allowed provided total bilirubin is no greater than 3.5 mg/dL and direct bilirubin is normal
• AST and ALT no greater than 3 times ULN

Renal

• Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 3 months after study participation

• No acute, active, untreated opportunistic infection within the past 14 days

  • Oral thrush or genital herpes allowed
• No other serious medical illness within the past 14 days
• No concurrent neoplasm requiring cytotoxic therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior biological therapy for KS

Chemotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy for KS
• No concurrent anticancer systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• No concurrent corticosteroids

  • Replacement doses allowed

Radiotherapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy for KS

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• More than 60 days since prior local therapy for any KS-indicator lesion unless the lesion has clearly progressed since treatment
• More than 14 days since prior acute treatment for an infection (other than oral thrush or genital herpes)
• More than 4 weeks since prior local therapy for KS
• More than 4 weeks since prior investigational therapy for KS
• More than 4 weeks since other prior anticancer treatment for KS
• No other concurrent investigational agents other than IND-approved antiretroviral agents available under expanded access or compassionate use protocols
• No other concurrent KS-specific treatment
• Concurrent antiretroviral therapy allowed provided patient is on a stable regimen for at least 12 weeks prior to study entry and shows no evidence of ongoing KS regression (i.e., less than 25% decrease in the size, number, or nodularity of lesions, in the investigator's opinion)