Inclusion Criteria:

- Histologically confirmed transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urothelium(renal
pelvis, ureter, bladder, or urethra)

- Mixed histology carcinoma with a TCC component allowed

- Progressive regional disease

- Metastatic disease

- Failed 1 and only 1 prior systemic chemotherapy regimen containing cisplatin or
carboplatin in the adjuvant, neoadjuvant, or metastatic setting

- May have included taxane-based therapy

- Measurable disease outside prior irradiation field

- Previously resected and irradiated CNS metastases with evidence of stable disease
allowed

- Performance status - ECOG 0-2

- Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3

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

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

- AST no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

- No prior severe cardiovascular disease (American Heart Association class III or IV
heart disease)

- No uncontrolled congestive heart failure

- No ventricular dysrhythmia

- No active unresolved infection requiring parenteral antibiotics within the past week

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell or
squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or clinically unsuspected
organ-confined prostate cancer treated with prior prostatectomy

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No prior systemic biologic response modifier therapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

- No concurrent radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered