DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed relapsed or refractory solid tumor or lymphoma including:

  • Neuroblastoma
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Ewing's sarcoma
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma
  • Wilms tumor
  • CNS tumors
• Histological verification not required for brainstem tumors
• No acute leukemia
• Not eligible for higher priority COG phase I/II study

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Under 22

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 50-100% (over age 10)
• Lansky 50-100% (age 10 and under)

Life expectancy:

• At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 75,000/mm^3 (transfusion independent)
• Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• No granulocytopenia, anemia, and/or thrombocytopenia due to bone marrow involvement

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal
• SGPT no greater than 5 times normal
• Albumin at least 2 g/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times normal OR
• Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate at least lower limit of normal

Cardiovascular:

• Shortening fraction at least 27% by echocardiogram OR
• Ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA

Other:

• Stable neurologic deficits within the past 2 weeks for patients with CNS tumors
• CNS toxicity less than grade 2
• No active graft-versus-host disease
• No active uncontrolled infection or other serious medical condition
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 7 days since prior biologic therapy and recovered
• Prior bone marrow or stem cell transplantation allowed
• At least 6 months since prior allogeneic stem cell transplantation
• At least 1 week since prior growth factors
• No concurrent immunomodulating agents

Chemotherapy:

• At least 2 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy (4 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Concurrent dexamethasone for CNS tumors allowed if on stable dose for at least 2 weeks prior to study
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed only for increased intracranial pressure in patients with CNS tumors

Radiotherapy:

• At least 2 weeks since prior local (small port) palliative radiotherapy
• At least 6 months since prior radiotherapy to 50% or more of the pelvis
• At least 6 months since prior craniospinal radiotherapy
• At least 6 weeks since other prior substantial bone marrow radiotherapy
• Recovered from prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy except localized palliative radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No concurrent anticonvulsants