DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed high-risk stage 4 metastatic neuroblastoma

  • May be confirmed by bone marrow involvement and elevated urinary catecholamines
• Progressive or persistent disease after intensive conventional chemotherapy that included induction with N6, N7, N8, or COG protocol with or without bone marrow or stem cell transplantation

• Poor long-term prognosis as defined by any of the following:

  • N-myc amplification in tumor cells
  • Diploid chromosomal content plus 1p loss of heterozygosity in tumor cells
  • Distant skeletal metastases
  • Unresectable primary tumor infiltrating across the midline
  • More than 10% tumor cells in bone marrow
• Measurable or evaluable disease documented at least 4 weeks after completion of prior systemic therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Under 50

Performance status:

• Not specified

Life expectancy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Hematopoietic:

• Platelet count greater than 25,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 500/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Not specified

Renal:

• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Other:

• No severe major organ toxicity
• No active life-threatening infections
• No prior allergy to mouse proteins
• No prior allergy to beta-glucan, oats, barley, mushrooms, or yeast
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior exposure to mouse antibodies and human anti-mouse antibody greater than 1,000 ELISA units/mL

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• No other concurrent supplemental beta-glucan either as food (e.g., bran cereals) or as complementary medicine