DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed soft tissue sarcoma meeting the following criteria:

  • Lesion originates in extremity

    • Upper extremity lesions may occur from the medial border of the scapula to tumors as far distal as the finger tips

      • No lesions of the chest wall arising adjacent to the scapula but not originating in the shoulder bone
    • Lower extremity regions include hip girdle tumors commencing at the iliac crest, excluding lesions arising from within the pelvis, and extends to include lesions as far distal as the toes
  • Imaging and pathology from first surgery are required

• Has undergone surgical resection of the tumor within the past 12 weeks

  • No macroscopic tumor in situ after surgery
  • Microscopically irradical surgical margin allowed
  • Excisional biopsy with positive margins or other inadequate surgery (macroscopically involved margins) allowed only after further definitive re-excision
  • Positive margins and no further surgery possible except amputation or major functional loss allowed provided no macroscopic residual disease is present
  • Local recurrence within 3 months of prior surgery (or other treatment) allowed provided patient undergoes subsequent re-excision

• No diagnosis of any of the following:

  • Rhabdomyosarcoma (alveolar or embryonal)
  • Primitive neuroectodermal tumor
  • Soft tissue Ewing's sarcoma
  • Extraskeletal osteosarcoma
  • Aggressive fibromatosis (desmoid tumors)
  • Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
  • Gorlin's syndrome
• No regional nodal disease or unequivocal distant metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment
• No other major medical illness that would preclude study treatment
• No other malignancy except adequately treated nonmelanomatous carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy to the local site
• No prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy