Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Peripheral Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Men With Previously Untreated Germ Cell Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven germ cell cancer * Nonseminoma OR * Combined seminoma and nonseminoma * Poor prognosis (nonseminoma): * Testis/retroperitoneal primary AND * One of the following poor tumor markers * AFP greater than 10,000 iu/L * HCG greater than 50,000 iu/L * LDH greater than 10 times upper limit of normal OR * Nonpulmonary visceral metastases (i.e., liver, bone, or brain) OR * Mediastinal primary PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 16 to 50 Sex: * Male Performance status: * WHO 0-3 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST no greater than 2 times ULN Renal: * Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min (unless due to obstructive uropathy correctable by nephrostomy) Other: * No other malignancy except basal cell skin cancer * No neuropathy * No other serious illness or medical condition * No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would prevent compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * Not specified Chemotherapy: * No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: * Not specified Radiotherapy: * Concurrent radiotherapy for brain metastases allowed Surgery: * Concurrent surgery for brain metastases allowed