Irinotecan and Carboplatin as Upfront Window Therapy in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Intermediate-Risk or High-Risk Rhabdomyosarcoma

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as irinotecan and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving irinotecan together with carboplatin as upfront window therapy (first-line therapy) works in treating patients with newly diagnosed intermediate-risk or high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma.