Antineoplaston Therapy in Treating Patients With Primary Liver Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed primary liver cancer that is unlikely to respond to existing therapy and for which no curative therapy exists * Measurable disease by CT scan or MRI * Tumor must be at least 2 cm PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 14 and over Performance status: * Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy: * At least 2 months Hematopoietic: * WBC at least 2,000/mm3 * Platelet count at least 50,000/mm3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin less than 3 mg/dL * SGOT/SGPT no greater than 10 times upper limit of normal * No hepatic failure Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL * No history of renal conditions that contraindicate high doses of sodium Cardiovascular: * No uncontrolled hypertension * No known chronic heart failure * No history of congestive heart failure * No history of other cardiovascular conditions that contraindicate high doses of sodium Pulmonary: * No serious lung disease (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Other: * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception for 4 weeks before study, during study, and for 4 weeks after study * No serious medical or psychiatric disease * No active infection PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered * No concurrent immunomodulating agents Chemotherapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered * No concurrent antineoplastic agents Endocrine ther…