Antineoplaston Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed stage IV adenocarcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma of the kidney that is unlikely to respond to existing therapy
Measurable disease by MRI or CT scan
Tumor must be more than 2 cm for lymph nodes in head, neck, axillary, inguinal, or femoral areas and at least 0.5 cm for other locations

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

WBC at least 2,000/mm^3
Platelet count at least 50,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

No hepatic insufficiency
Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL
SGOT and SGPT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

No renal insufficiency
Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/mL
No history of renal conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Cardiovascular:

No known chronic heart failure
No uncontrolled hypertension
No history of congestive heart failure
No history of other cardiovascular conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Pulmonary:

No severe lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Other:

Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation
Not a high medical or psychiatric risk
No concurrent nonmalignant systemic disease that would preclude therapy
No active infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy
No concurrent immunomodulatory agents

Chemotherapy:

At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered
No concurrent antineoplastic agents

Endocrine therapy:

Concurrent corticosteroids allowed

Radiotherapy:

At least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

Prior cytodifferentiating agents allowed
No prior antineoplastons