OBJECTIVES: I. Determine if captopril can block or prevent lung injury in patients undergoing autologous bone marrow or stem cell transplantation following cyclophosphamide and total body radiotherapy or high dose chemotherapy. II. Determine a series of surrogate lung injury prediction markers for monitoring patients undergoing therapy.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified according to preparative regimen (high dose chemotherapy versus cyclophosphamide and total body radiotherapy). Patients are randomized into one of two treatment arms. All patients undergo a conditioning regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide daily on days -6 and -5 and total body radiotherapy on day -4 through -1, or high dose chemotherapy per transplantation protocol. Arm I: Patients receive oral captopril 2 to 3 times daily beginning on the first day of the conditioning regimen and continuing until day 100 post autologous bone marrow or stem cell transplantation. Arm II: Patients receive no captopril while undergoing conditioning therapy. Patients are followed at 6 months.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 35 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Eligible for existing autologous bone marrow or stem cell transplantation protocols using either a high dose chemotherapy regimen or a cyclophosphamide and total body radiotherapy regimen

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Not specified Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Not specified Renal: Not specified Other: No other concurrent medical illness that would preclude study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: See Disease Characteristics No prior captopril or other ACE inhibitors