Combination Chemotherapy Compared With Hormone Therapy in Treating Patients With Recurrent, Stage III, or Stage IV Endometrial Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed primary stage III or IV or recurrent endometrial cancer

• Poor curative potential with radiotherapy or surgery (alone or in combination)

• Measurable disease

• At least one lesion accurately measured in at least one dimension

• At least 20 mm by conventional techniques, including palpation, x-ray, CT scan, or MRI OR

• At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan

• Disease in a previously irradiated field as sole site of measurable disease allowed only if clear progression after completion of radiotherapy

• Estrogen receptor(ER)/progesterone receptor (PR) status of primary tumor required

• ER/PR status of measurable tumor optional

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• GOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

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

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

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin normal

• SGPT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.6 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF at least 50%

• No third-degree or complete heart block, unless pacemaker is in place

• Other conduction abnormalities or cardiac dysfunction allowed at the investigator's discretion

• No history of deep venous thrombosis

• No uncontrolled angina

Pulmonary:

• No history of pulmonary embolus

Other:

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

• No concurrent medical illness that would preclude study

• No serious uncontrolled infection

• No serious peripheral neuropathy

• No circumstances that would preclude study compliance

• No sensitivity to E. coli-derived drug preparations

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Prior biologic therapy allowed

Chemotherapy:

• No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy, including chemotherapy for radiosensitization

Endocrine therapy:

• No prior hormonal therapy for endometrial cancer

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy involving the whole pelvis or more than 50% of the spine

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• Concurrent cardiac conduction-altering medications such as digitalis, beta blockers, or calcium channel blockers allowed at the investigator's discretion