Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Gynecologic Sarcomas

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed sarcoma or carcinosarcoma (mixed mesodermal tumors) of gynecologic origin not amenable to resection or radiotherapy Measurable disease Lesions accurately measured in at least 1 dimension of at least 20 mm in longest diameter with conventional techniques or at least 10 mm with helical CT scan Histologically or cytologically confirmed neoplastic nature if solitary lesion No nonmeasurable disease, defined as: Bone lesions Leptomeningeal disease Ascites Pleural/pericardial effusion Inflammatory breast disease Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis Unconfirmed abdominal masses not followed by imaging techniques Cystic lesions Documented recurrence or persistence following appropriate surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy Postmenopausal or status post hysterectomy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Not specified Performance status: ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Granulocyte count at least 1,000/mm^3 Platelet count at least 50,000/mm^3 Hepatic: Bilirubin normal Transaminases less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal Renal: Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL Other: No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy No medical or social factors that would preclude study, including inability to take oral medication No other serious illness requiring immediate therapy Not pregnant PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks since mitomycin or nitrosoureas) Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Other: At least 30 days since any prior noncytotoxic experimental antiemetic or antifungal investigational drug