Radioactive cocktail shows promise against tough childhood cancer

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma * Histologically confirmed and/or demonstration of tumor cells in bone marrow with elevated urinary catecholamine metabolites * High-risk neuroblastoma must meet one of the following: * Progressive disease prior to or after completion of induction therapy * Mixed response or no response after completion of 4 courses of induction therapy * Partial response after 4 courses of induction therapy allowed provided no prior participation in COG-A3973 or other phase III COG trials * Measurable disease, defined as at least one metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG)-avid target lesion determined by diagnostic MIBG scan within 6 weeks of study entry (tumor sites that have received local irradiation within 3 months of study entry are not considered target lesions) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Performance status * Lansky 60-100% OR * Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy * At least 2 months Hematopoietic * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 750/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm\^3 (if no marrow involvement by morphologic exam/no transfusion allowed) (\> 20,000/mm\^3 if metastatic tumor involvement of marrow by morphologic exam/transfusion allowed) Hepatic * Bilirubin \< 1.3 mg/dL * SGOT and SGPT \< 5 times normal * Hepatitis B surface antigen negative * Hepatitis C negative Renal * Glomerular filtration rate or creatinine clearance ≥ 60 ml/min * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times normal for age as follows: * 0.8 mg/dL (for patients ≤ 5 years of age) * 1.0 mg/dL (for patients 6 to 10 years of age) * 1.2 mg/dL (for patients 11 to 15 years of age) * 1.5 mg/dL (for patients \> 15 years of age) Cardiovascular * Ejection fraction ≥ 55% by echocardiogram or radionuclide MUGA OR * Fractional shortening ≥ 27% by echocardiogram Pulmonary * Normal lung function defined as no dyspnea at rest and no oxygen requirement OR measured oxygen saturation \> 93% on room air Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No disease of any major organ system that would preclude study compliance * No concurrent hemodialysis * No active infection requiring IV antivirals, antibiotics, or antifungals (patients on antifungal therapy are eligible provided they are culture- and biopsy-negative in suspected residual radiographic lesions) * Patient weight within limits to receive ≤ maximum total allowable dose of \^131I-MIBG PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No prior myeloablative transplantation * Prior submyeloablative transplantation allowed at discretion of principal investigator * More than 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy Chemotherapy * More than 3 weeks since prior myelosuppressive chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin C or nitrosoureas) * No prior melphalan therapy with a total dose of \> 100 mg/m\^2 Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy (6 months for craniospinal or whole lung radiotherapy) * No prior total body irradiation * No prior iodine I 131 MIBG (\^131I-MIBG) * No prior total abdominal or whole liver radiotherapy * No prior local radiotherapy, including any of the following: * 1200 cGy to more than 33% of both kidneys (patient must have at least one kidney that has not exceeded the dose/volume of radiation listed) * 1800 cGy to more than 30% of liver and/or 900 cGy to more than 50% of liver Other * Recovered from all prior therapy * No medications with a potential interference of \^131I-MIBG uptake 1 week before and 2 weeks after completion of \^131I-MIBG