DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven soft tissue sarcoma with pulmonary metastases for which radical metastasectomy is feasible Eligible subtypes: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma Liposarcoma Synovial sarcoma Malignant paraganglioma Fibrosarcoma Leiomyosarcoma Neurogenic sarcoma Unclassified sarcoma Angiosarcoma (including hemangiopericytoma) Miscellaneous sarcoma (including mixed mesodermal tumors of the uterus) Ineligible subtypes: Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma Kaposi's sarcoma Rhabdomyosarcoma of any type Malignant mesothelioma Chondrosarcoma Neuroblastoma Dermatofibrosarcoma Osteosarcoma Epithelioid sarcoma Primitive neuroectodermal tumor Ewing's sarcoma No extrapulmonary disease Previously treated local recurrence allowed Patients with primarily metastatic disease must have undergone radical treatment of primary tumor according to local protocols Reevaluation of metastases required before randomization