DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: - Histologically confirmed Wilms' tumor - Newly diagnosed stage I-III disease - Favorable histology - No moderate- or high-risk Wilms' predisposition syndromes - Must meet 1 of the following disease stratification categories: - Very low-risk disease - Stage I disease - Age < 2 years - Tumor weight < 550 g - Regional lymph nodes histologically negative (must have been sampled) - No pulmonary metastases on CT scan of chest - Standard-risk disease meeting 1 of the following criteria: - Disease does not require radiotherapy - LOH at chromosomes 1p and 16q for stage I or II - Stage I disease meeting 1 of the following criteria: - Age ≥ 2 years to age < 30 years - Tumor weight ≥ 500 g - Stage II disease - Age < 30 years - Any tumor weight - Disease requires radiotherapy - No LOH at chromosomes 1p and 16q* - Stage III disease NOTE: *Patients with combined loss of heterozygosity at chromosomes 1p and 16q will be eligible to transfer to protocol COG-AREN0533 - Must be enrolled on protocol COG-AREN03B2 PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: - Karnofsky performance status (PS) 50-100% for patients > 16 years old - Lansky PS 50-100% for patients ≤ 16 years old - Bilirubin (direct) ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) - AST or ALT < 2.5 times ULN - Shortening fraction ≥ 27% by echocardiogram OR ejection fraction ≥ 50% by radionuclide angiogram (standard-risk disease) - Not pregnant or nursing - Negative pregnancy test - Fertile patient must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: - No prior tumor-directed chemotherapy or radiotherapy - Patients transferring from AREN03B2 with LOH 1p and 16q allowed