Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant salivary gland tumor

- All histological subtypes eligible

- Locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic disease

- Considered incurable by radiotherapy or surgery

- Low- to intermediate-grade mucoepidermoid tumor or acinic cell carcinoma allowed
provided patients are symptomatic OR at imminent risk of developing symptoms
attributable to metastatic disease

- Disease must meet 1 of the following criteria:

- Metastatic disease that is chemonaïve

- Metastatic disease that has progressed after a prior
non-cisplatin/carboplatin/gemcitabine regimen

- Local and/or distant recurrence after curative surgery and/or radiotherapy

- Locally advanced disease not suitable for surgery or radiotherapy

- At least 1 site of unidimensionally measurable disease documented by 1 of the
following:

- At least 20 mm by X-ray, physical exam, or non-spiral CT scan

- At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan

- No bone metastases as only site of measurable disease

- No known brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

- At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

- Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

- AST/ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal

Renal

- Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min (for cisplatin) OR 30-59 mL/min (for
carboplatin)

Cardiovascular

- No symptomatic congestive heart failure

- No unstable angina

- No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No other serious illness or medical condition that would preclude study participation

- No active uncontrolled infection

- No neurologic disorder or psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated non-melanoma
skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- Not specified

Chemotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy for locally advanced, recurrent, or
metastatic disease and recovered

- Must have been a non-cisplatin/carboplatin/gemcitabine-containing regimen

- More than 12 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy (including
cisplatin/carboplatin-based regimens) and recovered

- No prior gemcitabine

Endocrine therapy

- Not specified

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

- No prior radiotherapy to only site of measurable disease unless there is documented
disease progression after therapy

Surgery

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 21 days since prior surgery and recovered

Other

- More than 30 days since prior anticancer therapy

- More than 30 days since prior investigational agents

- No other concurrent anticancer therapy

- No other concurrent investigational agents