Chemotherapy Followed by Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

  * Clear cell or papillary RCC
  * Granular tumors with sarcomatoid features
  * No purely sarcomatoid RCC, chromophobic RCC, or oncocytoma
  * No transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and collecting systems
* Metastatic or unresectable disease
* At least 1 measurable lesion

  * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
  * The following are not considered measurable:

    * Bone lesions
    * Leptomeningeal disease
    * Ascites
    * Pleural/pericardial effusion
    * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    * Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
    * Cystic lesions
    * Primary bladder masses
* Progressive disease after interferon alfa and/or interleukin-2 for metastatic RCC OR intolerance to these therapies
* No prior or concurrent CNS metastases

  * Negative MRI of the brain within the past 28 days
* Must have HLA-identical (6/6) sibling donor

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 60 and under

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

* More than 6 months

Hematopoietic:

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

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST no greater than 3 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine clearance at least 40 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

* LVEF at least 45% by MUGA or echocardiogram

Pulmonary:

* DLCO greater than 40% of predicted (corrected for hemoglobin level)
* No symptomatic pulmonary disease

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* HIV negative
* No known hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived products
* No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
* No active serious infection
* No other concurrent malignancy except non-melanoma skin cancer or other malignancy that has less than a 30% risk of relapse after completion of therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No concurrent sargramostim (GM-CSF)
* Concurrent epoetin alfa allowed

Chemotherapy:

* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* At least 28 days since prior hormonal therapy (e.g., megestrol, corticosteroids, or anti-estrogen therapy)
* Concurrent steroids allowed for adrenal failure, graft-versus-host disease, or other nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)

Radiotherapy:

* At least 14 days since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

* At least 14 days since prior surgery

Other:

* At least 28 days since prior systemic therapy for RCC
* Recovered from prior therapy