Pemetrexed Disodium and Cisplatin Followed By Surgery and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed malignant pleural mesothelioma * All subtypes allowed * T1-3, N0-1, M0 disease * No N2 or N3 involvement confirmed by mediastinoscopy within 21 days before study entry * No clinical invasion of mediastinal structures (e.g., heart, aorta, spine, esophagus) * No wide-spread chest wall invasion except focal chest wall lesions * No clinical or radiological evidence of shrinking hemithorax * No clinically significant third-space fluid (e.g., pleural effusions or ascites) that cannot be managed with thoracentesis or pleurodesis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * Under 70 Performance status * WHO 0-1 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * WBC \> 3,500/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 11 g/dL Hepatic * AST and ALT \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Bilirubin \< 1.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase \< 1.5 times ULN Renal * Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Acceptable (predicted) post-radiotherapy renal function by semiquantitative isotope renography, with a relative contribution of the contralateral kidney of ≥ 40% Pulmonary * See Disease Characteristics Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment * Deemed to be fit enough to undergo study treatment * No preexisting sensory neurotoxicity \> grade 1 * No uncontrolled infection * No prior or concurrent melanoma, breast cancer, or hypernephroma * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or adequately treated basal cell skin cancer * No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No concurrent immunotherapy * No concurrent routine use of colony-stimulating factors during neoadjuvant chemotherapy * Concurrent secondary prophylactic use allowed during neoadjuvant chemotherapy * No concurrent secondary prophylactic use of colony-stimulating factors during post-operative radiotherapy Chemotherapy * No prior chemotherapy for mesothelioma Endocrine therapy * No concurrent hormonal cancer therapy Radiotherapy * No prior radiotherapy to the lower neck, thorax, or upper abdomen Surgery * See Disease Characteristics Other * No other concurrent anticancer therapy * No other concurrent experimental medications * No nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or salicylates for 2 days before, during, and 2 days after administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (5 days before and 2 days after for drugs with a long half-life \[e.g., naproxen, piroxicam, diflunisal, or nabumetone\])