Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Sarcoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of any of the following: * High-grade nonmetastatic, nonrhabdomyosarcomatous soft tissue sarcomas (excluding undifferentiated sarcoma and Ewing sarcoma) * Small round cell sarcomas (excluding primitive neuroectodermal tumors of soft tissue) (closed to accrual) * Undifferentiated sarcomas (closed to accrual) * Rhabdomyosarcomas (excluding non-parameningeal head tumors, vaginal or stage I paratesticular) (closed to accrual) * All alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas (closed to accrual) * No evidence distant metastatic disease (i.e., lung, bone, bone marrow) * Local or regional nodal disease allowed * No spindle cell tumors of bone * Primary lesions do not have to be resectable PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Creatinine ≤1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min/ * AST/ALT \< 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Total bilirubin \< 2 times ULN * LVEF ≥ 45% * No prior history of cancer * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Patients who have undergone radiation therapy after initial surgery are eligible but must have evaluation for metastatic disease within 2 weeks of starting chemotherapy * No prior chemotherapy