Combination Chemotherapy and Tamoxifen in Treating Patients With Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven soft tissue sarcoma, glioma, mesothelioma, hepatoma, thyroid cancer, or adrenal cancer with clinical, radiological, or histologic evidence of incurability * Patients with thyroid cancer must have failed radioactive iodine * Measurable or evaluable disease PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 65 and under Performance status: * ECOG 0-2 Hematopoietic: * Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 * Platelet count at least 140,000/mm3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin normal Renal: * Creatinine less than 1.47 mg/dL Cardiovascular: * Left ventricular ejection fraction at least 50% by MUGA scan * No congestive heart failure * No severe, uncontrolled hypertension * No ischemia, life-threatening arrhythmia, or conduction disturbance by ECG Other: * No allergy to study medications * No uncontrolled infection * No active abuse of ethanol that would preclude treatment * No other prior or concurrent malignancy * Not pregnant * Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * Not specified Chemotherapy: * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen * No prior anthracycline or cisplatin * At least 3 weeks since other prior chemotherapy and recovered Endocrine therapy: * Not specified Radiotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of bone marrow * At least 3 weeks since other prior radiotherapy and recovered Surgery: * Not specified