Liposomal Doxorubicin Plus Ifosfamide in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed soft tissue sarcoma * Advanced and/or metastatic disease * Must be of any of the following types: * Malignant fibrous histiocytoma * Liposarcoma (excluding lipomas and well-differentiated liposarcomas) * Rhabdomyosarcoma * Synovial sarcoma * Malignant paraganglioma * Fibrosarcoma * Leiomyosarcoma * Angiosarcoma * Neurogenic sarcoma * Sarcoma not otherwise specified * Paraffin blocks and slides must be available * Measurable disease * Osseous lesions and pleural effusions are not considered measurable disease * Evidence of progressive disease within the past 6 weeks * The following conditions are excluded: * Gastrointestinal stromal tumors * Malignant mesothelioma * Chondrosarcoma * Neuroblastoma * Osteosarcoma * Ewing's sarcoma * Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma * No symptomatic or known CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 to 70 Performance status: * WHO 0-1 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * WBC at least 4,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 1.75 mg/dL * Albumin at least 2.5 g/dL Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 1.4 mg/dL * Creatinine clearance at least 65 mL/min Cardiovascular: * Ejection fraction at least 50% by echocardiogram or isotopic methods * No history of cardiovascular disease Other: * No other prior or concurrent primary malignancies except adequately tre…