OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the response in patients with resectable soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity treated with neoadjuvant intra-arterial cisplatin and IV doxorubicin followed by limb-sparing procedure or amputation, adjuvant IV cisplatin and IV doxorubicin, and radiotherapy. II. Determine the chemotherapeutic response in tumor specimens of patients treated with this regimen.