Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Stage IV Solid Tumors, Lymphoma, or Myeloma (IFNa)

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed malignancy, including, but not limited to, renal cell carcinoma, melanoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, breast carcinoma, lymphoma, myeloma, or tumors of endothelial origin Stage IV disease Refractory to standard therapy Measurable or evaluable disease Evaluable disease can include clinically or radiographically nonmeasurable tumor or specific tumor markers Patients with prior solitary CNS metastasis allowed Must have had prior definitive therapy ≥ 3 months previously No requirement for glucocorticoids unless for physiologic replacement No multiple CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: ECOG performance status 0-1 Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm³ Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ Creatinine ≤ 1.3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) OR Creatinine clearance of 60 mL/min Bilirubin ≤ 1.3 times ULN AST ≤ 5 times ULN No pregnant or lactating women Fertile women and men, unless surgically sterile, must use effective contraception No history of serious cardiac arrhythmia or cardiac arrhythmia requiring treatment No congestive heart failure No angina pectoris No New York Heart Association class III or IV disease No other severe cardiovascular disease No known seizure disorder No known HIV or hepatitis B surface antigen positivity No active clinical infection requiring antibiotics within the past 7 days PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 months since prior interferon therapy and/or ≤ 400 million units of interferon At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery requiring general anesthesia At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy or chemotherapy Treatment with hormones or other chemotherapeutic agents may not be administered except for steroids given for preexisting adrenal failure or hormones administered for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) No prior organ allograft No concurrent dexamethasone, other steroidal antiemetics, or anti-inflammatories No concurrent palliative radiotherapy