Combination Chemotherapy Plus Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With Relapsed Germ Cell Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Evaluable germ cell cancer (measurable by radiographic study and/or serum tumor marker elevation) and not curable by standard salvage therapy OR viable cancer on resection of post-chemotherapy residual masses in either intermediate or high risk category
Bidimensionally measurable disease with measurements performed within 21 days of study entry
Tumor marker (alpha-fetoprotein, lactate dehydrogenase, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin) studies performed within 7 days prior to study entry

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

16 and over

Performance status:

Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

Not specified

Hematopoietic:

Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count at least 120,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than 1.6 mg/dL
SGOT and SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
No active hepatitis or cirrhosis

Renal:

Creatinine clearance at least 70 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

Ejection fraction (MUGA or echocardiogram) normal
No EKG evidence of active cardiac disease (arrhythmias, ischemia) which would contraindicate etoposide and paclitaxel study treatment

Pulmonary:

PaO_2 at least 70 mm Hg
FEV_1 at least 2 L or 75%
No history of bleomycin associated or serious lung disease

Neurologic:

No steroid or glucocorticoid treatment for patients with CNS metastatic disease; at least 1 month with stable post-radiotherapy neurological status and seizure free; if prior seizures, at least 1 month with therapeutic anticonvulsant levels prior to study
Prior peripheral neuropathy requires consultation with principal investigator

Other:

No significant active medical illness precluding study or survival
Not HIV positive
No prior malignancy within past 5 years except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
No prior hematologic malignancies

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

No prior bone marrow or stem cell rescue with high-dose chemotherapy

Chemotherapy:

Prior chemotherapy allowed, excluding high-dose therapy with bone marrow or stem cell rescue
No prior paclitaxel

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

No concurrent radiotherapy during study

Surgery:

Recovered from prior surgery