DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven soft tissue sarcoma, glioma, mesothelioma, hepatoma, thyroid cancer, or adrenal cancer with clinical, radiological, or histologic evidence of incurability
• Patients with thyroid cancer must have failed radioactive iodine
• Measurable or evaluable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 65 and under

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Hematopoietic:

• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count at least 140,000/mm3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin normal

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 1.47 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• Left ventricular ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA scan
• No congestive heart failure
• No severe, uncontrolled hypertension
• No ischemia, life-threatening arrhythmia, or conduction disturbance by ECG

Other:

• No allergy to study medications
• No uncontrolled infection
• No active abuse of ethanol that would preclude treatment
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy
• Not pregnant
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
• No prior anthracycline or cisplatin
• At least 3 weeks since other prior chemotherapy and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of bone marrow
• At least 3 weeks since other prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

• Not specified