Inclusion Criteria

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