Radiation Therapy Compared With Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Cancer of the Uterus

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed primary homologous or heterologous carcinosarcoma of the uterus (corpus and cervix)
• Surgical stage I-IV disease, including positive adnexa, tumor invading the serosa, positive pelvic and/or para-aortic nodes, involvement of the mucosa of the bowel, bladder, or rectum, intra-abdominal metastases, positive pelvic washings, or vaginal involvement within planned radiation port
• Prior total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and maximum tumor resection of all gross intra-abdominal/pelvic disease, including grossly involved pelvic and para-aortic nodes within 8 weeks before study
• * No greater than 1 cm residual disease
• Cervical sarcomas also allowed
• No metastasis beyond the abdominal cavity at diagnosis, including the following:
• * Parenchymal liver metastasis
• * Lung metastasis
• * Positive inguinal lymph nodes
• * Positive scalene nodes
• * Radiographic or pathologic evidence of bone or brain metastasis
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 21 and over
• Performance status:
• GOG 0-2
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm3
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal
• SGOT no greater than 3 times normal
• Albumin at least 3 g/dL
• No acute hepatitis
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min
• Other:
• No septicemia
• No severe infection
• No severe gastrointestinal bleeding
• No prior invasive or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Prior hormonal therapy allowed
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other:
• No prior therapy that would preclude study therapy