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