Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed uterine carcinosarcoma (mixed mesodermal tumor)

- Stage III or IV disease

- Persistent or recurrent disease

- Documented disease progression

- Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by
conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

- At least 1 target lesion

- Tumors within a previously irradiated field are not considered target
lesions unless there is documented disease progression

- Ineligible for any higher priority Gynecology Oncology Group (GOG) protocol (i.e.,
any active GOG phase III protocol for the same patient population)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- GOG 0-2

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

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

Hepatic

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

- Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN

Renal

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No active infection requiring antibiotics

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

- No sensory or motor neuropathy > grade 1

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- Not specified

Chemotherapy

- No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for uterine sarcoma

Endocrine therapy

- At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy for uterine sarcoma

- Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

Surgery

- Not specified

Other

- Recovered from all prior therapy

- No prior anticancer therapy that would preclude study therapy