DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic renal cell carcinoma or colorectal carcinoma, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • Obtained no benefit from prior standard or salvage therapy
  • Ineligible for standard therapy because of concurrent illness
  • Declined standard therapy

• At least 1 site of measurable disease that can be measured in at least 1 dimension

  • At least 20 mm with conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm with spiral CT scan
• No untreated or unstable, treated brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 4,000/mm^3
• Granulocyte count at least 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• No coagulation disorders

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL*
• ALT/AST less than 3 times upper limit of normal*
• PT no greater than 1.5 times control (unless therapeutically anticoagulated)
• PTT less than 1.5 times control (unless therapeutically anticoagulated) NOTE: *Patients whose cancer has led to values that do not fall within the above ranges may be eligible at the discretion of the investigators

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL* NOTE: *Patients whose cancer has led to values that do not fall within the above range may be eligible at the discretion of the investigators

Cardiovascular:

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No thrombophlebitis

Pulmonary:

• FEV_1 and FVC at least 65% predicted
• No uncontrolled pulmonary embolism

Other:

• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except resected basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No prior allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to interleukin-12-primed activated T cells or other study agents
• No active autoimmune disease
• No uncontrolled thyroid abnormalities
• No ongoing or active infection
• No other uncontrolled concurrent illness
• No psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for up to 2 years after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior steroid therapy or steroid-containing compounds
• At least 2 weeks since prior topical or inhaled steroids

Radiotherapy:

• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

• More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery

Other:

• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent commercial anticancer agents
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients