Radiation Therapy With or Without SU5416 in Treating Patients With Soft Tissue Sarcoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed primary or locally recurrent stage IB or IIA soft tissue sarcoma
• * Grade 1 or 2
• * Tumor greater than 5 cm in diameter
• Tumor located on upper extremities (including shoulder), lower extremities (including hip), or body wall
• No sarcoma of the head and neck or intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal sarcoma
• No desmoid tumor or dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
• No metastatic disease
• No evidence of lung metastases
• * Maximum of 4 lung lesions no greater than 5 mm in diameter each on preoperative chest CT scan allowed OR
• * Lesion no greater than 1 cm allowed if stable for at least 1 year and fits criteria for granuloma
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Zubrod 0-1
• Life expectancy:
• At least 2 years
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 4,000/mm\^3 OR
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,800/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• SGOT no greater than 50 U/L
• PT and PTT less than 1.25 times normal (not on warfarin)
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 50 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No congestive heart failure or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No uncompensated coronary artery disease
• No severe peripheral vascular disease
• No peripheral vascular disease with diabetes mellitus
• No deep venous or arterial thrombosis within the past 3 months
• Fibrin split products less than 2 times normal
• Fibrinogen greater than 200 mg/dL
• Pulmonary:
• No pulmonary embolism within the past 3 months
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No contraindications to surgery
• No active uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infection
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years except surgically treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude informed consent
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No prior biologic therapy for soft tissue sarcoma
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior radiotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma
• Surgery:
• At least 2 weeks since prior minor surgery (e.g., port placement)
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery