Surgery, Chemotherapy, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Peritoneal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma Measurable or evaluable disease Ineligible for other high-priority study No CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Over 18 Performance status: SWOG 0-2 Karnofsky 60-100% Life expectancy: More than 2 months Hematopoietic: WBC greater than 3,000/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 times normal Renal: Creatinine clearance at least 45 mL/min BUN less than 1.5 times normal No significant calcium abnormalities Cardiovascular: No symptomatic cardiovascular disease No New York Heart Association class II, III, or IV heart disease No congestive heart failure No angina pectoris No cardiac arrhythmia No uncontrolled hypertension Other: No significant phosphate, electrolyte, or other metabolic abnormalities (e.g., metabolic acidosis) No uncontrolled psychiatric disorder or neurologic disease No seizure disorder No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or skin cancer No other serious medical or psychiatric illness No uncontrolled serious infection No senility or emotional instability Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens No more than 1 prior intraperitoneal chemotherapy regimen More than 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: No concurrent hormonal therapy except for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) Concurrent steroids for antiemesis, premedication, adrenal failure, or septic shock allowed Radiotherapy: No prior abdominal, pelvic, or lower chest radiotherapy Surgery: Prior surgical resection preceding disease recurrence allowed More than 1 week since prior surgery