DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed transitional (urothelial) cell carcinoma of the urinary tract (renal pelvis, ureter, bladder, prostate, or urethra)

  • Unresectable or progressive metastatic or locally advanced disease (T4b, N2, N3 or M1)
• Not a candidate for potentially curative surgery or radiotherapy
• No history of peritoneal carcinomatosis
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 80-100%
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (≤ 2.5 times ULN for patient's with Gilbert's disease)
• AST ≤ 2.0 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• Urine protein:creatinine ratio < 1.0 OR urine protein ≤ 1+ OR 24-hour urine protein ≤ 1 gram
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for up to 3 months after completion of study treatment
• No NYHA class II-IV congestive heart failure
• History of hypertension allowed provided it is well controlled (i.e., BP < 150/90 mm Hg) on a regimen of anti-hypertensive therapy

• No arterial thrombotic events within the past 6 months, including any of the following:

  • Transient ischemic attack
  • Cerebrovascular accident
  • Peripheral arterial thrombus
  • Unstable angina or angina requiring surgical or medical intervention
  • Myocardial infarction
• No clinically significant peripheral artery disease (i.e., claudication on < one block)
• Deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolus within the past 6 months allowed provided patient is on stable therapeutic anticoagulation
• No significant bleeding events (e.g., hemoptysis, upper or lower gastrointestinal [GI] bleeding, or grade 3 or 4 gross hematuria uncontrolled by transurethral resection of the bladder tumor) within the past 6 months
• No GI perforation within the past 12 months
• No serious or non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
• No sensory or motor peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy (including palliative radiotherapy) or major surgery and recovered
• At least 4 weeks since prior intravesical therapy
• At least 7 days since any minor surgery such as port placement

• No prior combination systemic chemotherapy for metastatic disease

  • Single-agent radiosensitizing chemotherapy is not considered prior systemic therapy
  • Prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic chemotherapy allowed provided it was completed ≥ 1 year prior to the diagnosis of metastatic disease
• No prior bevacizumab or other angiogenesis inhibitors
• No concurrent radiotherapy (including palliative radiotherapy)
• Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants allowed provided patient is on a stable dose of warfarin and has an in-range INR (between 2 and 3) OR is on a stable dose of low molecular weight heparin
• Concurrent anti-platelet agents, daily prophylactic aspirin, or anticoagulation agents for atrial fibrillation allowed