Surgery and Photodynamic Therapy in Treating Patients With Malignant Mesothelioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant mesothelioma, including the following cell types: * Mixed mesothelial * Sarcomatous * Stage I or II disease using the Butchart system as determined by CT scan or MRI * Disease confined to 1 hemithorax * No tumor involvement of esophagus or heart as evidenced by CT scan * Pericardial or diaphragmatic involvement allowed if disease is limited to the ipsilateral chest * N2 disease allowed if no contralateral pleural involvement * No adenocarcinoma or nonmesothelioma sarcoma of the chest wall PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * WBC greater than 4,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin greater than 8.5 g/dL (transfusion allowed) Hepatic * Bilirubin less than 3.0 mg/dL * Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT less than 2 times ULN Renal * Creatinine less than 3.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months Pulmonary * Arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO\_2) less than 50 torr at rest * Predicted postoperative FEV\_1 at least 800 mL with maximum oxygen consumption/kg at least 15 mL/min * Predicted postoperative total lung capacity at least 40% of hemoglobin and alveolar ventilation Other * Not pregnant * No other concurrent malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer * No contraindication to general anesthetic * No history of porphyria * No indicated sensitivity to porfimer sodium PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * More than 30 days since prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * No prior radiotherapy to the chest * No prior radiotherapy for mesothelioma Surgery * Not specified