Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Newly diagnosed sporadic or neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)-associated high-grade malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs)

  • Stage III or stage IV (metastatic) disease
• Measurable disease, defined as at least 1 tumor that is measurable in 2 dimensions on CT scan or MRI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Ejection fraction normal by echocardiogram or MUGA
• Serum creatinine normal for age OR creatinine clearance > 60 mL/min
• SGPT < 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin < 2.5 times ULN
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3*
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL*
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3*
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of study treatment NOTE: * Unsupported

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No prior chemotherapy for MPNST
• Prior surgical resection of MPNST allowed provided residual or recurrent measurable disease is present
• Recovered from toxic effects of all prior therapy
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy or biologic therapy for treatment of a plexiform neurofibroma, optical pathway tumor, or other NF1-associated tumor (in patients with NF1)
• At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy for treatment of a plexiform neurofibroma, optical pathway tumor, or other NF1-associated tumor (in patients with NF1)
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to the area involved by MPNST

• No other concurrent growth factors (e.g., sargramostim [GM-CSF] or interleukin-11)

  • Concurrent epoetin alfa allowed