Inclusion Criteria

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