Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Gynecologic Sarcomas

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed sarcoma or carcinosarcoma (mixed mesodermal tumors) of gynecologic origin not amenable to resection or radiotherapy * Measurable disease * Lesions accurately measured in at least 1 dimension of at least 20 mm in longest diameter with conventional techniques or at least 10 mm with helical CT scan * Histologically or cytologically confirmed neoplastic nature if solitary lesion * No nonmeasurable disease, defined as: * Bone lesions * Leptomeningeal disease * Ascites * Pleural/pericardial effusion * Inflammatory breast disease * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis * Unconfirmed abdominal masses not followed by imaging techniques * Cystic lesions * Documented recurrence or persistence following appropriate surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy * Postmenopausal or status post hysterectomy PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Not specified Performance status: * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * Granulocyte count at least 1,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 50,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin normal * Transaminases less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal Renal: * Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL Other: * No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy * No medical or social factors that would preclude study, including inability to take oral medication * No other serious illness requiring immediate therapy * Not pregnant PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * Not specified Chemotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks since mitomycin or nitrosoureas) Endocrine therapy: * Not specified Radiotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: * See Disease Characteristics Other: * At least 30 days since any prior noncytotoxic experimental antiemetic or antifungal investigational drug