Pemetrexed Disodium and Cisplatin Followed by Surgery With or Without Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as pemetrexed disodium 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. Giving radiation therapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well giving pemetrexed disodium together with cisplatin followed by surgery with or without radiation therapy works in treating patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.