Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Advanced, Refractory, or Recurrent Cervical or Vaginal Cancer

OBJECTIVES: I. Estimate the frequency and duration of objective response, duration of progression-free interval, and survival of patients treated with paclitaxel for advanced, persistent, or recurrent clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina and cervix who have failed higher priority treatment protocols. II. Determine the frequency and severity of observed adverse effects on this study. OUTLINE: Single-Agent Chemotherapy. Paclitaxel, TAX, NSC-673089. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: 25 evaluable patients per histologic stratum will be accrued over 10-12 months for the nonsquamous cell carcinoma stratum and over 23 months for the clear cell adenocarcinoma stratum. If more than 3 patients in a given stratum respond, an additional 25 patients will be accrued to that stratum. As of 07/95, the study is open only to patients with clear cell adenocarcinoma of the vagina or cervix.