DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• Ineligible for other high-priority study
• No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Over 18

Performance status:

• SWOG 0-2
• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• More than 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC greater than 3,000/mm3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times normal

Renal:

• Creatinine clearance at least 45 mL/min
• BUN less than 1.5 times normal
• No significant calcium abnormalities

Cardiovascular:

• No symptomatic cardiovascular disease
• No New York Heart Association class II, III, or IV heart disease
• No congestive heart failure
• No angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No uncontrolled hypertension

Other:

• No significant phosphate, electrolyte, or other metabolic abnormalities (e.g., metabolic acidosis)
• No uncontrolled psychiatric disorder or neurologic disease
• No seizure disorder
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or skin cancer
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness
• No uncontrolled serious infection
• No senility or emotional instability
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens
• No more than 1 prior intraperitoneal chemotherapy regimen
• More than 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent hormonal therapy except for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
• Concurrent steroids for antiemesis, premedication, adrenal failure, or septic shock allowed

Radiotherapy:

• No prior abdominal, pelvic, or lower chest radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Prior surgical resection preceding disease recurrence allowed
• More than 1 week since prior surgery