DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven metastatic renal cell carcinoma

  • Clear cell
  • Papillary
  • Sarcomatoid
  • Mixed
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• Evidence of disease following surgical resection of metastases
• No CNS disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• WBC at least 4,000/mm3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.8 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception (barrier plus 1 other method)
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone normal
• No known hypersensitivity or allergy to components of recombinant human interleukin-2
• No known autoimmune disease (e.g., Crohn's disease)
• No other concurrent medical condition that would preclude study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior recombinant human interleukin-2
• No concurrent interferon alfa

Chemotherapy:

• No concurrent cytoxic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent hormonal therapy (e.g., medroxyprogesterone) other than estrogen replacement therapy
• No concurrent prophylactic glucocorticoids (replacement doses and topical use allowed)
• No concurrent systemic corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to index lesion
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior surgery for renal cell carcinoma allowed

Other:

• No prior systemic therapy for renal cell carcinoma
• At least 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs
• No other concurrent investigational drugs or participation in another clinical study
• No concurrent iodinated radiocontrast dye
• No concurrent drugs for another indication that has purported activity in treatment of neoplasia (e.g., thalidomide)