High-Dose Thiotepa Plus Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With Refractory Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Malignant solid tumors
* Must have failed conventional treatment or for whom conventional therapy is not available
* Measurable disease by MRI or CT scan

  * Intraocular retinoblastomas may be measured by direct visualization
  * Germ cell tumors may be measured by tumor markers
* No known bone marrow involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* Any age

Performance status:

* Lansky 60-100% for patients 16 and under
* Karnofsky 60-100% for patients over 16

Life expectancy:

* At least 8 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 75,000/mm\^3
* If parameters not met, must have adequate stem cell yield

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2.5 times the ULN (unless liver involvement by tumor)

Renal:

* Creatinine within normal limits OR
* Creatinine clearance at least 70 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

* Fractional shortening greater than 28% on echocardiogram OR
* Ejection fraction at least 55% on RNCA prior to first cycle of thiotepa

Pulmonary:

* DLCO greater than 55% of predicted (only required if there is clinical evidence of pulmonary dysfunction)

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Prior bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell rescue allowed

Chemotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy if absolute neutrophil count is less than 1,000/mm\^3 or platelet count is less than 75,000/mm\^3, and recovered (i.e. adequate stem cells collected to predict hematopoietic recovery)
* No concurrent chemotherapy except for dexamethasone for antiedema effects

Endocrine therapy:

* No concurrent use of corticosteroids used solely as antiemetics

Radiotherapy:

* At least 4 weeks since radiotherapy if absolute neutrophil count is less than 1,000/mm\^3 or platelet count is less than 75,000/mm\^3, and recovered (i.e. adequate stem cells collected to predict hematopoietic recovery)
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* Not specified