Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Surgery & Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as methotrexate, vinorelbine, and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving chemotherapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Cisplatin may also make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy with or without surgery and chemoradiotherapy works in treating patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.