Amifostine in Treating Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients Who Have Received Chemotherapy for Cancer

RATIONALE: Amifostine may be effective in relieving numbness, tingling, and other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. It is not yet known whether amifostine is effective in treating peripheral neuropathy in patients who have received chemotherapy for cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying amifostine to see how well it works compared to observation in relieving numbness, tingling, and other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in patients who have received platinum-based chemotherapy (such as cisplatin or carboplatin) for cancer.