Fluorouracil Plus Interferon Alfa in Treating Patients With Advanced Metastatic Carcinoid Tumors

You may be eligible if

• 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