High-Dose Combination Chemotherapy Plus Peripheral Stem Cell Transplantation in Treating Patients With Advanced Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed advanced carcinomas of the following types: * Breast carcinoma that is ineligible for or patient has refused participation in a higher priority protocol in the following categories: * Stage II disease with at least 10 involved lymph nodes and no evidence of disease (NED) following surgery * Stage III disease rendered surgically NED with or without radiotherapy * Stage IV disease following partial response (PR) or complete response (CR) to surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy * Prior high dose chemotherapy allowed at discretion of investigator * No chemoresistant disease rendered surgically NED * Locoregionally recurrent disease within 2 years of breast conservation with or without chemotherapy * Stage III/IV ovarian cancer * PR/CR following debulking surgery and/or chemotherapy * Ineligible for or refused participation in higher priority protocols * Primary soft tissue sarcoma with high-grade disease greater than 10 cm or that is metastatic * Rendered surgically NED or achieved PR/CR on any chemotherapeutic or immunotherapeutic regimen * Ineligible for or refused participation in higher priority protocols * Malignant melanoma in the following categories: * Ulcerative primary tumor with any number of completely resected metastatic lymph nodes * Stage II disease with more than 4 involved nodes rendered NED * Stage III disease rendered surgically NED or achieved PR/CR on any …