Fluorouracil Plus Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Advanced Metastatic Carcinoid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically proven carcinoid tumor with radiologically confirmed metastatic disease
* Recurrence after surgery or radiotherapy allowed
* Must meet at least 1 of the following conditions:

  * Symptomatic carcinoid syndrome not controlled
  * Other systemic symptoms (e.g., weight loss, anorexia)
  * 24 hour urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) 100 mg or greater
  * Bone metastases
  * Carcinoid heart disease
  * Carcinoid asthma
* Measurable disease or 24-hour urinary 5-HIAA 50 mg or greater required
* No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Zubrod 0-2

Hematopoietic:

* Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 3.0 mg/dL

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* See Disease Characteristics

Pulmonary:

* See Disease Characteristics

Other:

* No concurrent infection (no fever for at least 3 days prior to treatment unless fever due to tumor)
* No significant medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study or informed consent
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or curatively treated stage I carcinoma of the cervix
* Not pregnant
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No prior interferon therapy

Chemotherapy:

* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* Prior endocrine therapy allowed
* Concurrent octreotide allowed

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Prior surgery allowed

Other:

* No prior fluorinated pyrimidine