Topotecan and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Cancer of the Cervix

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed recurrent, persistent or metastatic cervical carcinoma (squamous or adenocarcinoma), with no potentially curative standard treatment
• Measurable disease or evaluable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 to physiological 60

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Greater than 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC greater than 3000/mm3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times normal
• SGOT/SGPT less than 1.5 times normal

Renal:

• BUN less than 1.5 times normal
• Creatinine less than 1.5 times normal
• Creatinine clearance greater than 50 mL/min

Other:

• Ineligible for other high priority national or institutional study
• Not pregnant or nursing
• HIV negative
• No prior malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No serious medical or psychiatric illness preventing treatment or informed consent

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• Greater than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• No greater than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens
• No prior taxane or camptothecin

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent hormonal therapy except that required for nondisease related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)

Radiotherapy:

• Greater than 4 weeks since prior radiation therapy
• No concurrent radiation therapy

Surgery:

• Greater than 4 weeks since prior surgery