Liposomal Doxorubicin and Interleukin-12 in Treating Patients With AIDS-Related Kaposi's Sarcoma

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) * HIV positive * Evaluable disease involving the skin and/or viscera * At least 5 lesions not previously treated with local therapy if restricted to the skin * Pulmonary lesions evaluable by CT scan * Gastrointestinal lesions evaluable by visualization or fiberoptic instrumentation * Presence of at least one of the following indications for cytotoxic chemotherapy: * Pulmonary involvement * Visceral involvement * Pain * Edema * Ulcerating lesions * Decreased range of joint motion due to KS * Multiple lesions not amenable to local therapy * Lymphedema that impairs mobility or range of motion * Significant psychological impact leading to social withdrawal * Progressive disease within the past 3 weeks while receiving a stable regimen of highly active antiretroviral therapy for at least 4 weeks unless there is a need for urgent chemotherapy * Prior participation on this study allowed, provided patient was removed from study due to non-pancreatic hyperamylasemia and the following are true: * No dose-limiting toxicity by clinical and laboratory assessment * Pancreatic amylase portion normal by fractionated amylase * Lipase normal * No symptoms referable to the pancreas PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 and over Performance status: * Karnofsky 30-100% Life expectancy: * More than 2 months Hematopoietic: * Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL * Absolute neutrophil count at least 750/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 75,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 3.8 mg/dL with direct fraction no greater than 0.3 mg/dL and indirect fraction no greater than 3.5 mg/dL if due to protease inhibitor therapy * PT or aPTT no greater than 120% of control unless due to lupus-type anticoagulant * AST no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal * No prior hepatic cirrhosis * No hepatic dysfunction Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL * Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: * No congestive heart failure * Ejection fraction at least 40% by MUGA or echocardiogram Other: * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 2 months after study participation * No clinically significant autoimmune disease * No active, gross gastrointestinal bleeding or uncontrolled peptic ulcer disease * No prior inflammatory bowel disease * No other prior or concurrent malignancy except squamous cell carcinoma in situ of the cervix or anus, completely resected basal cell carcinoma, or malignancy in complete remission for at least 1 year from the time a response was first documented * No severe or life-threatening infection within the past 2 weeks * No abnormality that would be scored as grade 3 toxicity except lymphopenia or direct manifestations of KS * No known hypersensitivity to interleukin-12 (IL-12) or other compounds known to cross-react with IL-12 * No other medical condition that would preclude study entry PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * More than 2 weeks since prior cytokines or colony-stimulating factors other than epoetin alfa, filgrastim (G-CSF), or sargramostim (GM-CSF) * No prior combination interleukin-12 and doxorubicin HCl liposome except for patients previously treated on this protocol who are being enrolled for paclitaxel salvage therapy * No concurrent immunomodulatory agents * No concurrent cytokines except epoetin alfa or G-CSF Chemotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * See Biologic therapy * At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin or nitrosoureas) * More 6 months since prior suramin * No other concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: * More than 2 months since prior systemic glucocorticoid steroids at doses sufficient to affect immune response (e.g., more than 20 mg of prednisone for more than 1 week) * Concurrent replacement glucocorticoid therapy allowed * No other concurrent systemic glucocorticoid therapy Radiotherapy: * Not specified Surgery: * Not specified Other: * Concurrent antiretroviral therapy required * No other concurrent anti-KS therapy