Image-Guided Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Primary Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Shoulder, Arm, Hip, or Leg

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed primary soft tissue sarcoma of the upper extremity (including shoulder) or lower extremity (including hip)

  * Incisional or core biopsy required within the past 8 weeks
* No histopathological diagnosis of any of the following:

  * Rhabdomyosarcoma
  * Extraosseous primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)
  * Soft tissue Ewing sarcoma
  * Osteosarcoma
  * Kaposi sarcoma
  * Angiosarcoma
  * Aggressive fibromatosis (desmoid tumor)
  * Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
  * Chondrosarcoma

    * Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma allowed
* Tumor must be surgically resectable, as determined by a surgeon within the past 8 weeks

  * Limb-preservation surgery alone would not provide adequate local control, as determined by the surgeon
* No sarcoma of the hand, foot, head, neck, or intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal region or body wall
* No sarcoma ≥ 32 cm in any direction
* No lymph node or distant metastases, according to the following within the past 8 weeks:

  * History/physical examination, including a detailed description of the location, size, and stage of the sarcoma
  * MRI with contrast of the primary tumor

    * The maximum dimension of the primary tumor is measured in MRI images
  * CT scan of the chest

    * Multiple pulmonary nodules \< 8 mm without a histological diagnosis detected incidentally on a non-screening CT scan may be allowed
  * CT scan with contrast of the abdomen and pelvis in patients with intermediate- or high-grade sarcoma of the upper thigh
* No recurrent tumor after prior potentially curative therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Zubrod performance status 0-1
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention allowed)
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL\*
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal\*
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.6 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 55 mL/min\*
* Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 50% by multiple gated acquisition scan (MUGA) or echocardiogram\*
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years, except nonmelanomatous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix
* No severe, active co-morbidity, including any of the following\*:

  * Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the past 6 months
  * Transmural myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * Acute bacterial infection or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics
  * Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or immunocompromised patients

    * HIV testing not required
* No NCI CTCAE v 3.0 grade 3-4 electrolyte abnormalities, including any of the following\*:

  * Calcium \< 7 mg/dL or \> 12.5 mg/dL
  * Glucose \< 40 mg/dL or \> 250 mg/dL
  * Magnesium \< 0.9 mg/dL or \> 3 mg/dL
  * Potassium \< 3mmol/L or \> 6 mmol/L
  * Sodium \< 130 mmol/L or \> 155 mmol/L NOTE: \*Applies to group 1 only, which was closed to accrual as of 01/08/10)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior excisional biopsy in which the majority of the tumor (≥ 50%) is removed
* No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields
* No other concurrent investigational agents