Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

  * Histology demonstrates major clear cell component
  * Metastatic (stage IV) or recurrent disease
* Prior debulking nephrectomy required

  * Disease not amenable to complete surgical resection
* Must have HLA-identical donor

  * Matched related sibling donors must have 6/6 serologic HLA A, B, and DR match with molecular confirmation at DRB1

    * A 5/6 serologic mismatch with one antigen mismatch at locus A or B (not DR) with molecular confirmation at locus A, B, and DRB1 allowed
  * Matched unrelated donors must have a minimum of 8 out of 10 molecular matches at loci A, B, C, DRB1, and DQB1
* No brain metastases

  * Negative MRI required

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 to 65

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 80-100% OR
* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Not specified

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* ALT/AST less than 2 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times ULN
* Hepatitis A, B, and C negative

Renal:

* Creatinine clearance greater than 50 mL/min
* Calcium less than 10.5 mg/dL (bisphosphonates allowed)

Cardiovascular:

* LVEF no less than 10% below lower limit of normal

Pulmonary:

* FEV\_1 and DLCO greater than 50%

Other:

* HIV negative
* No active bacterial, fungal, or viral (including cytomegalovirus) infections
* No intolerance or allergy to tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, or fludarabine
* No intolerance to 200 cGy of total body irradiation
* No other serious comorbid disease, neurologic condition, or psychosocial condition that would preclude study follow-up
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception for at least 1 month before, during, and for at least 3 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Prior interleukin-2 allowed
* Prior interferon alfa allowed

Chemotherapy:

* Prior chemotherapy allowed
* No other concurrent chemotherapy for RCC

Endocrine therapy:

* No concurrent corticosteroids for other comorbid disease

Radiotherapy:

* No prior extensive radiotherapy to marrow microenvironment greater than 20% of total marrow mass
* No prior radiotherapy that has reached tissue tolerance for heart, lung, liver, kidney, or spinal cord

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics

Other:

* No other concurrent therapy for RCC
* No concurrent enrollment on another investigational protocol for treatment of RCC
* No other concurrent immunosuppressive medications
* No other concurrent investigational drugs