A Phase I Study of Whole Pelvic Radiation Therapy With Concomitant Cisplatin and Gemcitabine Chemotherapy in Patients With Cervical Carcinoma (Stages I-IV) Limited to the Pelvis

Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed primary invasive carcinoma of the uterine cervix

- Previously untreated disease

- Any cell type

- Stage IB_2, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, or IVA

- Para-aortic lymph nodes negative by radiologic evaluation or by biopsy if CT scan is
suspicious for adenopathy

- No known metastases to scalene nodes or other organs outside the radiotherapy field

- Study enrollment within 8 weeks of diagnosis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- Not specified

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

Renal

- Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL

- No renal abnormalities (e.g., pelvic kidney, horseshoe kidney, or renal
transplantation) that would require modification of radiotherapy fields

- No ureteral obstruction allowed unless treated with stent or nephrostomy tube

Other

- Not pregnant

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No septicemia or severe infection

- No circumstance that would preclude study completion or follow-up

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

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- Not specified

Chemotherapy

- No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- Not specified

Radiotherapy

- No prior pelvic or abdominal radiotherapy

Surgery

- Not specified

Other

- No prior therapy for this malignancy