Docetaxel and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Recurrent Stage IVB Squamous Cell Carcinoma (Cancer) of the Cervix

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix
• •* Advanced disease (stage IVB)
• •* Persistent or recurrent disease
• •No available curative treatment options
• •Measurable disease by physical examination, chest x-ray, CT scan, or MRI
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •Over 18
• •Performance status
• •GOG 0-2
• •Life expectancy
• •More than 6 months
• •Hematopoietic
• •Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin \> 8 g/dL
• •Hepatic
• •Bilirubin normal
• •SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AND alkaline phosphatase normal OR
• •Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 4 times ULN AND SGOT and SGPT normal
• •Renal
• •Creatinine \< 1.5 times ULN
• •Other
• •No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years
• •No prior severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
• •No peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1
• •No other concurrent malignancy except curatively treated non-melanoma skin cancer
• •No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude giving informed consent or limit survival
• •Not pregnant
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study participation
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •No concurrent biologic therapy
• •Chemotherapy
• •No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens
• •* One sensitizing chemotherapy regimen during radiotherapy AND 1 regimen for recurrent disease are considered 2 regimens
• •At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• •No prior docetaxel
• •No prior carboplatin
• •No other concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy
• •At least 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy
• •Radiotherapy
• •See Chemotherapy
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery
• •At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery