EMD 121974 in Treating Patients With HIV-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven Kaposi's sarcoma * Systemic chemotherapy not required * Minimum of 2 lesions amenable to biopsy * Measurable or evaluable disease HIV positive PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Age: 18 and over * Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% * Life expectancy: At least 3 months * Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL * Absolute neutrophil count at least 750/mm3 * Platelet count at least 75,000/mm3 * PT/PTT normal Bilirubin normal (bilirubin no greater than 3.5 mg/dL if secondary to indinavir therapy, provided direct bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN)) * AST (SGOT) no greater than 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min * No prior ischemic coronary artery disease including prior myocardial infarction * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study * No concurrent active infection (nonsystemic infection, e.g., herpes simplex, oral thrush, or warts, allowed) * No gastric or duodenal ulcer within past 6 weeks unless healed PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * At least 2 weeks since prior antineoplastic biologic therapy and recovered * At least 3 weeks since prior myeloid growth factor * Growth factors and transfusion allowed if dose requirement is stable for 4 weeks prior to therapy * At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks since prior nitrosourea or mitomycin) and recovered * Concurrent hydroxyurea as antiretroviral therapy allowed if dose stable for 4 weeks prior to study * No concurrent systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy * Recovered from prior endocrine therapy * At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered * No concurrent radiotherapy * At least 3 weeks since major surgery or 10 days since minor surgery and recovered * At least 4 weeks since prior experimental therapy for Kaposi's sarcoma and recovered * At least 2 weeks since prior local therapy to any indicator lesion * No concurrent investigational drugs (except antiretroviral therapy) * At least 2 weeks since prior acute treatment for infection or other serious medical illness * Antiretroviral therapy must be stable for 4 weeks prior to study