Interleukin-2 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven, metastatic renal cell carcinoma with measurable disease No more than 25% of liver replaced with tumor No CNS involvement or major nerve compression allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: More than 3 months Hematopoietic: Not specified Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL AST and ALT no greater than 3 times normal Renal: Creatinine less than 1.6 mg/dL Cardiovascular: Normal EKG Normal thallium stress test (required of patients 50 years of age and older or as clinically indicated) Pulmonary: FEV1 and VC greater than 65% of predicted (pulmonary function screening required of patients with significant smoking history or suspicion of pulmonary disease) Other: No second malignancy, except: Basal cell skin cancer Carcinoma in situ of the cervix No significant psychiatric disease that would preclude consent or treatment No systemic infection No coagulation disorders or bleeding Not pregnant HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: No prior therapy within 28 days Biologic therapy: No prior interleukin-2 Chemotherapy: Not specified Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: Not specified Surgery: Not specified Other: No concurrent steroids