Isolated Hepatic Perfusion With Melphalan in Treating Patients With Primary Unresectable Liver Cancer or Liver Metastases

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically proven liver cancer meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• * Primary unresectable hepatocellular or cholangiocellular carcinoma
• * Metastatic cancer to the liver originating from one of the following:
• * Intraocular melanoma (closed to accrual as of 10/17/03)
• * Islet cell carcinoma
• * Adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum limited to parenchyma of the liver
• * No evidence of other unresectable extrahepatic colorectal metastasis
• * Other neuroendocrine tumors, such as carcinoid tumors
• Measurable disease
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Any age
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• Hematocrit greater than 27.0%
• WBC at least 2,500/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL (3.0 mg/dL for patients with Gilbert's syndrome)
• PT no greater than 2 seconds above upper limit of normal
• Elevated SGOT and SGPT allowed if not due to hepatitis
• No biopsy-proven cirrhosis or evidence of significant portal hypertension
• No prior or concurrent veno-occlusive disease
• Patients with positive hepatitis B or C surface antigen serology and chronic active hepatitis are eligible provided there is no evidence of cirrhosis
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• Congestive heart failure allowed if LVEF ≥ 40%
• Pulmonary:
• No chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other chronic pulmonary disease with pulmonary function tests less than 50% predicted for age
• Other:
• Weight greater than 30 kg
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• No active infection
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 1 month since prior anticancer biologic therapy and recovered
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 1 month since prior anticancer chemotherapy and recovered
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 1 month since prior anticancer radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• Prior intrahepatic arterial infusion therapy allowed
• No chronic use of anticoagulants
• No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy