Cisplatin or Carboplatin Combined With Gemcitabine in Locally Advanced, Recurrent, or Metastatic Malignant Salivary Gland Tumor

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant salivary gland tumor

  * All histological subtypes eligible
  * Locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic disease
  * Considered incurable by radiotherapy or surgery
  * Low- to intermediate-grade mucoepidermoid tumor or acinic cell carcinoma allowed provided patients are symptomatic OR at imminent risk of developing symptoms attributable to metastatic disease
* Disease must meet 1 of the following criteria:

  * Metastatic disease that is chemonaïve
  * Metastatic disease that has progressed after a prior non-cisplatin/carboplatin/gemcitabine regimen
  * Local and/or distant recurrence after curative surgery and/or radiotherapy
  * Locally advanced disease not suitable for surgery or radiotherapy
* At least 1 site of unidimensionally measurable disease documented by 1 of the following:

  * At least 20 mm by X-ray, physical exam, or non-spiral CT scan
  * At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* No bone metastases as only site of measurable disease
* No known brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

* Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic

* AST/ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal

Renal

* Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min (for cisplatin) OR 30-59 mL/min (for carboplatin)

Cardiovascular

* No symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina
* No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other serious illness or medical condition that would preclude study participation
* No active uncontrolled infection
* No neurologic disorder or psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* Not specified

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy for locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic disease and recovered

  * Must have been a non-cisplatin/carboplatin/gemcitabine-containing regimen
* More than 12 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy (including cisplatin/carboplatin-based regimens) and recovered
* No prior gemcitabine

Endocrine therapy

* Not specified

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No prior radiotherapy to only site of measurable disease unless there is documented disease progression after therapy

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 21 days since prior surgery and recovered

Other

* More than 30 days since prior anticancer therapy
* More than 30 days since prior investigational agents
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* No other concurrent investigational agents