Brostallicin or Doxorubicin as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Relapsed, Refractory, or Metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed high- or intermediate-grade malignant soft tissue sarcoma\* of 1 of the following cellular types: * Adipocytic (e.g., liposarcoma dedifferentiated, myxoid/round cell, pleomorphic, mixed-type, not otherwise specified) * Fibroblastic (e.g., adult fibrosarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, or sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma) * So-called fibrohistiocytic (e.g., pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma \[MFH\], giant cell MFH, or inflammatory MFH) * Leiomyosarcoma * Malignant glomus tumors * Skeletal muscle (e.g., rhabdomyosarcoma, alveolar, or pleomorphic) * Vascular (e.g., epithelioid hemangioendothelioma or angiosarcoma) * Uncertain differentiation (e.g., synovial, epithelioid, alveolar soft part, clear cell, desmoplastic small round cell, extra-renal rhabdoid, malignant mesenchymoma, perivascular epithelioid cell tumor \[PEComa\], or intimal sarcoma) * Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors * Malignant solitary fibrous tumors * Undifferentiated soft tissue sarcomas not otherwise specified * Other types of sarcoma if approved by the study coordinator NOTE: \*Includes malignant tumors of non-organ origin and skin and uterine leiomyosarcoma * The following tumor types are excluded: * Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma * Chondrosarcoma * Osteosarcoma * Ewing tumors/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) * Gastrointestinal stromal tumors * Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans * Inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma * Neuroblastoma * Malignant mesothelioma * Mixed mesodermal tumors of the uterus * Relapsed, refractory, and/or metastatic disease incurable by surgery or radiotherapy * Measurable disease * Must have formalin fixed paraffin-embedded tumor blocks and representative hematoxylin/eosin slides available for histological central review * No symptomatic or known CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * At least 60 years of age OR ≥ 18 years of age if patient is not suitable for intensive combination chemotherapy treatments * WHO performance status 0-1 * Absolute neutrophil count \> 2,000/mm³ * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³ * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * No serious cardiac illness within the past 6 months, including, but not limited to the following: * History of documented congestive heart failure * High-risk uncontrolled arrhythmias * Angina pectoris requiring antianginal medication * Clinically significant valvular heart disease * Evidence of transmural infarction on ECG * Poorly-controlled hypertension (e.g., systolic blood pressure \[BP\] \> 180 mm Hg or diastolic BP \> 100 mm Hg) * Normal 12-lead ECG * LVEF normal by MUGA or echocardiogram * No other malignancy within the past 3 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or breast * No other serious and/or unstable medical condition, illness, or lab abnormality that would preclude study participation * No psychiatric illness or familial, social, or geographical condition that would preclude study compliance * No active uncontrolled infection * No known AIDS positivity * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior chemotherapy regimen for advanced or metastatic disease (neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy allowed) * No concurrent sargramostim (GM-CSF) except in cases of febrile neutropenia * No other concurrent anticancer therapy or investigational agents, including any of the following: * Chemotherapy * Biological response modifiers * Hormone therapy * Immunotherapy * No other concurrent clinical treatment trial participation