Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed stage IVB, recurrent, or persistent carcinoma of the cervix
that is not amenable to curative treatment with surgery and/or radiotherapy

- Eligible subtypes:

- Squamous cell carcinoma

- Adenosquamous carcinoma

- Adenocarcinoma

- Measurable disease by physical examination, radiography, CT scan, or MRI

- Measurable disease by CT scan/MRI without biopsy confirmation allowed if lesions
are at least 3 cm and well defined

- No craniospinal metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- GOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal

- SGOT no greater than 3 times normal

- Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times normal

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

- No bilateral hydronephrosis that cannot be alleviated by ureteral stents or
percutaneous drainage

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No clinically significant infection

- No other prior invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin
cancer

- Body surface area no greater than 2.0 m^2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- At least 6 weeks since prior chemoradiotherapy and recovered

- No prior chemotherapy except when used concurrently with radiotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- See Disease Characteristics

- See Chemotherapy

- At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy only and recovered

Surgery:

- Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

- No prior anticancer treatment that would preclude study therapy