DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed stage IIC-III primary or locally recurrent soft tissue sarcoma

  • Grade 2 or 3 on grade 1-3 scale OR
  • Grade 3 or 4 on grade 3-4 scale
  • Tumor size at least 8 cm in diameter
• Tumor located on upper extremities (including shoulder), lower extremities (including hip), or on body wall
• No rhabdomyosarcoma, extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma, primitive neuroectodermal tumors, osteosarcoma or chondrosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma or angiosarcoma of the scalp or face, or any sarcoma of the head and neck
• No evidence of lung metastases

• Maximum of 4 chest lesion no greater than 3 mm in diameter each on preoperative chest CT scans

  • Lesions no greater than 1 cm in diameter allowed if stable for at least 1 year and fit criteria for granulomas

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 150,000/mm^3
• No prior bleeding or clotting diathesis

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• AST and ALT no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal
• PT and PTT less than 1.25 times normal (not on coumadin)

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF greater than 50%
• History of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) requiring bypass surgery allowed provided surgery occurred at least 1 year prior to study entry
• No uncompensated CAD on electrocardiogram or physical examination
• No myocardial infarction or severe or unstable angina within the past 6 months
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV heart disease
• No congestive heart failure
• No severe peripheral vascular disease
• No peripheral vascular disease with diabetes mellitus
• No deep venous or arterial thrombosis (including pulmonary embolism) within the past 3 months

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Fibrin split products less than 2 times normal
• Fibrinogen greater than 200 mg/dL
• No active uncontrolled bacterial, viral, or fungal infection
• No known hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived proteins
• No contraindications to limb-salvage surgery
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years except surgically treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or squamous or basal cell skin cancer
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No prior biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

• More than 2 weeks since minor surgery
• More than 4 weeks since major surgery