Biological Therapy and Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Kidney Cancer or Colorectal Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic renal cell carcinoma or colorectal carcinoma, meeting 1 of the following criteria: * Obtained no benefit from prior standard or salvage therapy * Ineligible for standard therapy because of concurrent illness * Declined standard therapy * At least 1 site of measurable disease that can be measured in at least 1 dimension * At least 20 mm with conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm with spiral CT scan * No untreated or unstable, treated brain metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 and over Performance status: * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: * More than 3 months Hematopoietic: * WBC at least 4,000/mm\^3 * Granulocyte count at least 2,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL * No coagulation disorders Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL\* * ALT/AST less than 3 times upper limit of normal\* * PT no greater than 1.5 times control (unless therapeutically anticoagulated) * PTT less than 1.5 times control (unless therapeutically anticoagulated) NOTE: \*Patients whose cancer has led to values that do not fall within the above ranges may be eligible at the discretion of the investigators Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL\* NOTE: \*Patients whose cancer has led to values that do not fall within the above range may be eligible at the discretion of the investigators Cardiovascular: * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * No thrombophlebitis Pulmonary: * FEV\_1 and FVC at least 65% predicted * No uncontrolled pulmonary embolism Other: * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except resected basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * No prior allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to interleukin-12-primed activated T cells or other study agents * No active autoimmune disease * No uncontrolled thyroid abnormalities * No ongoing or active infection * No other uncontrolled concurrent illness * No psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for up to 2 years after study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy Chemotherapy: * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered Endocrine therapy: * At least 4 weeks since prior steroid therapy or steroid-containing compounds * At least 2 weeks since prior topical or inhaled steroids Radiotherapy: * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered Surgery: * More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery Other: * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent commercial anticancer agents * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients