DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed soft tissue sarcoma

  • Unresectable disease
  • Locally advanced or metastatic disease

• The following tumor types are not allowed:

  • Embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma
  • Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
  • Alveolar soft part sarcoma
  • Clear cell sarcoma
• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques or ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• No more than 1 prior therapy for sarcoma
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
• ANC ≥ 1,500/µL
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/µL
• Leukocytes ≥ 3,000/µL
• Total bilirubin ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Fasting serum glucose < 120 mg/dL OR below ULN
• LVEF ≥ 50% by MUGA scan
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after the last dose of anti-IGF-1R recombinant monoclonal antibody IMC-A12
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to anti-IGF-1R recombinant monoclonal antibody IMC-A12

• No poorly controlled diabetes mellitus

  • Patients with a history of diabetes mellitus are eligible provided their blood glucose is within normal range and they are on a stable dietary or therapeutic regimen for this condition

• No concurrent uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  • Ongoing or active infection
  • Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  • Unstable angina pectoris
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude compliance with study requirements

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from all prior therapy
• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C)

• More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery, hormonal therapy (other than replacement), or radiotherapy

  • No prior radiotherapy to the heart, mediastinum, or chest wall
• No prior anthracycline therapy or anti-IGF-1R therapy
• No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies