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