RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin and gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Thalidomide may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Giving carboplatin and gemcitabine together with thalidomide before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed.