• Response duration [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Duration of stable disease [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Overall survival [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Progression-free survival [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  
• Time to response [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine the toxicity and tumor response in patients with metastatic, recurrent, or refractory malignancies treated with cisplatin, gemcitabine, interferon alfa, and long-duration, low temperature whole body hyperthermia (LL-WBH).

OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study of cisplatin.

• Phase I and II: Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on day 1 and 8. Patients receive cisplatin IV over 6 hours on day 15, followed by subcutaneous interferon alfa on days 16 and 17. Patients undergo long-duration, low temperature whole body hyperthermia over 6 hours plus gemcitabine over 30 minutes on day 17. Courses repeat every 5 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
• Phase I: Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of cisplatin until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which at least 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose limiting toxicity. The MTD of cisplatin is used for phase II study.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 30 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed metastatic, recurrent, or refractory carcinoma
• Measurable disease by CT, MRI, or physical examination
• No brain metastases or other CNS disorders

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 90,000/mm^3
• Bone marrow cellularity normal on bone marrow biopsy
• No coagulopathy disorder

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• SGOT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal
• PT less than 14 seconds
• PTT less than 35 seconds
• No inadequate liver function (no greater than 20% involvement)

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance at least 45 mL/min
• BUN no greater than 25 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• Adequate cardiac function documented by history, physical exam, or stress exercise test (MUGA or ECHO) with resting blood pressure and heart rate increasing appropriately with exercise
• LVEF at least 45%
• No prior myocardial infarction
• No symptomatic coronary artery disease
• No angina
• No significant arrhythmia
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No thromboembolic disease

Pulmonary:

• FEV_1 at least 70% of predicted
• Arterial PO_2 at least 60 mmHg on room air
• No massive (greater than 30% involvement) lung disease
• DLCO greater than 50% of predicted

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• HIV negative
• No seizure disorders
• No significant emotional instability
• No history of malignant hyperthermia following general anesthesia
• No other concurrent medical illness that would prevent compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• Prior chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• At least 6 days since major thoracic or abdominal surgery

Other:

• No concurrent cardiac glycosides, antiangina drugs, arrhythmia drugs, anticoagulants, thrombolytic agents, adrenal corticosteroids, or aspirin