DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically and/or cytologically confirmed cervical cancer, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • Stage IVB disease
  • Recurrent disease
  • Persistent disease
• Patients previously treated with chemoradiotherapy as initial therapy must demonstrate disease progression
• Measurable disease by physical exam or radiographic studies
• Not amenable to chemoradiotherapy or surgery

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• Over 18

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• At least 6 months

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known HIV positivity
• No active infection
• No medical condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior interferon
• No other concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 months since prior chemoradiotherapy (6 weeks for patients experiencing disease progression after completion of initial chemoradiotherapy)
• No other prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• No concurrent hormonal therapy for cancer

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• See Chemotherapy
• Recovered from prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• Recovered from prior surgery
• No concurrent surgery for cancer

Other

• No prior retinoids
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent experimental agents