DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven carcinoid tumor with radiologically confirmed metastatic disease
• Recurrence after surgery or radiotherapy allowed

• Must meet at least 1 of the following conditions:

  • Symptomatic carcinoid syndrome not controlled
  • Other systemic symptoms (e.g., weight loss, anorexia)
  • 24 hour urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) 100 mg or greater
  • Bone metastases
  • Carcinoid heart disease
  • Carcinoid asthma
• Measurable disease or 24-hour urinary 5-HIAA 50 mg or greater required
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Zubrod 0-2

Hematopoietic:

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

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 3.0 mg/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• See Disease Characteristics

Pulmonary:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• No concurrent infection (no fever for at least 3 days prior to treatment unless fever due to tumor)
• No significant medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study or informed consent
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or curatively treated stage I carcinoma of the cervix
• Not pregnant
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior interferon therapy

Chemotherapy:

• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Prior endocrine therapy allowed
• Concurrent octreotide allowed

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior surgery allowed

Other:

• No prior fluorinated pyrimidine