Combination Chemotherapy and Pegfilgrastim in Treating Men With Metastatic Germ Cell Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Patients must fulfill all of the following criteria for 1 of the following diagnoses: * Nonseminoma germ cell tumor (intermediate risk) * Testis or retroperitoneal primary * Abnormal markers (alpha fetoprotein \[AFP\] \> 1,000 and \< 10,000 ng/mL, human chorionic gonadotropin \[HCG\] \> 5,000 and \< 50,000 IU/L, lactate dehydrogenase \[LDH\] \> 1.5 times and \< 10 times upper limit of normal \[ULN\]) * No liver, bone, brain, or other nonpulmonary visceral metastasis * Histologic confirmation is not required if AFP or HCG are grossly elevated * Nonseminoma germ cell tumor (poor prognosis) meeting 1 of the following criteria: * Mediastinal primary * Nonpulmonary visceral metastases * Poor markers (AFP \> 10,000 ng/mL, HCG \> 50,000 IU/L, LDH \> 10 times ULN) * Histologic confirmation not required if AFP or HCG are grossly elevated * Seminoma (intermediate prognosis) * Histological confirmation is required * Any primary site * Nonpulmonary visceral metastases must be present * Normal AFP * Any HCG * Any LDH * Surveillance relapse * Must fulfill appropriate criteria above according to initial histology PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Must have adequate renal function (creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min) * No prior malignancy except basal cell carcinoma PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy