N99-01: Combination Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, and Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With Neuroblastoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of neuroblastoma as evidenced by one of the following:

  * Histological confirmation
  * Demonstrates clumps of tumor cells in bone marrow with elevated urinary catecholamine metabolites
* High-risk refractory or residual disease
* Poorly responding disease, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Stable disease or partial response after at least 12 weeks of induction therapy
  * Bone marrow containing greater than 100 tumor cells per 100,000 normal cells after 12 weeks of induction therapy
  * Progressive disease during or after therapy
* At least 1 prior positive iodine I 131 metaiodobenzylguanidine (131 I-MIBG) scan since diagnosis and meets disease status criteria

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 1 to 21 (1 to 20 at diagnosis)

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 20,000/mm\^3 (transfusion allowed)
* Hemoglobin at least 8 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin normal
* AST/ALT no greater than 3 times normal
* No active hepatitis (for HIV-positive patients only)

Renal:

* Glomerular filtration rate or creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
* Creatinine less than 1.5 times normal for age

Cardiovascular:

* Ejection fraction at least 55% OR
* Fractional shortening at least 30%

Pulmonary:

* No dyspnea at rest or exercise intolerance
* No requirement for supplemental oxygen
* No active pneumonia (for HIV-positive patients only)

Other:

* No disease of any major organ system that would preclude study participation
* No other active health problems (for HIV-positive patients only)
* No active infections requiring intravenous antivirals, antibiotics, or antifungals
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy and recovered

Chemotherapy:

* At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
* No more than 100 mg/m\^2 total dose of prior melphalan

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* No prior total body, whole abdominal, or whole liver irradiation
* No prior therapy with 131 I-MIBG
* At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy (6 months for prior radiotherapy to craniospinal or whole lung fields or greater than 50% of bone marrow space) and recovered

Surgery:

* Prior surgical resection allowed
* Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

* No prior myeloablative therapy

  * Prior submyeloablative therapy with peripheral blood stem cell support allowed
* No concurrent antiretrovirals for HIV-positive patients
* Concurrent prolonged antifungal allowed if culture and biopsy negative in suspected residual radiographic lesions
* No medications that may preclude uptake of 131 I-MIBG for 1 week prior and 2 weeks after administration of study drugs
* No concurrent hemodialysis