DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven advanced renal cell cancer Locally recurrent or metastatic lesions not amenable to current resection Progressive disease defined as 25% increase from last measurement or new lesions Bidimensionally measurable disease No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC greater than 3,000/mm3 OR Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL SGOT and/or SGPT less than 2 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL Other: Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception No other serious medical illness or active infection that would preclude chemotherapy compliance No other prior malignancy unless curatively treated and disease free for the past 5 years

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy At least 1 (but no more than 2) prior biologic regimen(s) (i.e., interleukin-2, interferon alfa, or combination) and recovered Regimen defined as at least 8 weeks of treatment Prior sargramostim allowed Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy (i.e., megestrol or tamoxifen) and recovered Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy to study lesions At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered No concurrent palliative radiotherapy Surgery: Prior nephrectomy allowed Recovered from any recent surgery