Carboplatin and Paclitaxel With or Without Cediranib Maleate in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Cervical Cancer That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed carcinoma of the cervix, including any of the following subtypes:

  * Squamous cell carcinoma
  * Adenocarcinoma
  * Adenosquamous cell carcinoma
* Must meet one of the following criteria:

  * Persistent or relapsed inoperable disease after radical radiotherapy within the irradiated pelvis
  * Relapse after radical hysterectomy (after radical radiotherapy to pelvis, if appropriate)
  * Extra pelvic metastases
  * Primary stage IVB disease
* Not suitable for potentially curative surgical procedure
* Measurable disease in ≥ 1 marker site
* No CNS disease, including brain metastases, within the past 6 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-1
* Life expectancy \> 12 weeks
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 35 mL/min
* No proteinuria \> 1+ on dipstick (on 2 consecutive dipsticks not less than 1 week apart), unless urinary protein is \< 1.5 g in a 24-hour period
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* ALT or AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN if hepatic metastases present)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN if hepatic metastases present)
* Prothrombin ratio (PTR)/INR ≤ 1.5 OR PTR/INR 2.0-3.0 for patients on stable dose of anticoagulant
* Partial thromboplastin time \< 1.2 times control
* No history of a nervous or psychiatric disorder that would prevent informed consent and compliance
* No prior malignancy within the past 5 years, except for successfully treated basal cell skin cancer or in-situ breast cancer
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment
* No uncontrolled infection, defined as infection that cannot be resolved readily with antibiotics prior to trial entry
* No history of significant gastrointestinal impairment, as judged by the Investigator, that would significantly affect the absorption of cediranib maleate
* No history of pelvic fistula
* No history of inflammatory bowel disease
* No sub-acute or acute intestinal obstruction
* No significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks
* No non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
* No active bleeding
* No history or evidence of thrombotic or hemorrhagic disorders
* No uncontrolled seizures, cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, or subarachnoid hemorrhage within the past 6 months
* No significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  * Arterial thrombotic event within the past 12 months
  * Angina within the past 6 months
  * History of poorly controlled or uncontrolled hypertension or resting BP \> 150/100 mm Hg in the presence or absence of a stable regimen of anti-hypertensive therapy within the past 6 months
  * NYHA class II-IV congestive heart failure
  * Peripheral vascular disease ≥ grade 3 or cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication
  * Prolonged QTc (corrected) interval of \> 470 ms on ECG or a family history of long QT syndrome
* Patients with rate-controlled atrial fibrillation are eligible
* Not requiring intravenous nutritional support
* No preexisting sensory or motor neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No history or clinical suspicion of spinal cord compression
* No known hypersensitivity to carboplatin or paclitaxel
* No evidence of any other disease, metabolic dysfunction, physical examination finding, or laboratory finding giving reasonable suspicion of a disease or condition that contraindicates the use of an investigational drug or puts the patient at high risk for treatment-related complications

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No unresolved toxicity ≥ CTC grade 2 from prior systemic anti-cancer therapy, except hematological toxicity or alopecia
* No prior chemotherapy, except cisplatin administered along with radiotherapy as primary treatment
* No major surgery within 28 days or anticipated while on study
* More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 and 2C8, including any of the following:

  * Amiodarone
  * Clarithromycin
  * Erythromycin
  * Simvastatin
  * Atorvastatin
  * Lovastatin
  * Montelukast sodium
  * Verapamil
  * Ketoconazole
  * Miconazole
  * Indinavir (and other antivirals)
  * Diltiazem
* No concurrent grapefruit juice or St. John wort