Combination Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, and Surgery in Treating Patients With Primary or Recurrent Sarcoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed primary or recurrent soft tissue sarcoma of the retroperitoneum or pelvis * No rhabdomyosarcoma, extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumor, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, or aggressive fibromatosis * No sarcoma that does not allow sparing of two-thirds of 1 kidney within planned irradiation field * Radiographically measurable disease greater than 5 cm (T2) by CT scan or MRI of the abdomen and pelvis * High-grade (grade 3/3, 3/4, 4/4) disease greater than 5 cm OR * Moderate-grade (grade 2/3, 2/4) recurrent disease greater than 10 cm * Eligible for gross total resection (R0 or R1) * No prior subtotal (R2) resection * Partial debulking OR subtotal tumor resection with residual gross disease * Fewer than 4 equivocal pulmonary lesions each less than 3 mm in diameter by CT scan * No multifocal disease suggestive of regional nodal involvement * No metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Not specified Performance status: * Zubrod 0-2 Life expectancy: * At least 2 years Hematopoietic: * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL * AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal * Albumin at least 3.5 g/dL Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 1.6 mg/dL * Two functional kidneys Cardiovascular: * No congestive heart failure * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * No New York He…