Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Endometrial Cancer

You may be eligible if

• Histologically confirmed endometrial carcinoma
• * Recurrent or persistent (refractory to curative therapy or established treatment)
• * No sarcomas
• At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion
• * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques, including palpation, plain x-ray, CT scan, or MRI
• * At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• At least 1 target lesion outside the area of prior radiotherapy
• Received 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for endometrial carcinoma
• * Initial treatment may include high-dose therapy, consolidation, or extended therapy
• * No more than 1 additional cytotoxic regimen for recurrent or persistent disease
• * No non-cytotoxic chemotherapy for recurrent or persistent disease
• Ineligible for higher priority GOG protocols (any active GOG phase III protocol for the same patient population)
• No documented brain metastases since diagnosis of cancer
• * Patients with stable CNS deficits allowed provided there are no brain metastases, as confirmed by CT scan or MRI
• Performance status - GOG 0-2 if patient received 1 prior regimen
• Performance status - GOG 0-1 if patient received 2 prior regimens
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use 2 methods of effective contraception for 4 weeks before, during, and for 4 weeks after study participation
• No active infection requiring antibiotics
• No sensory or motor neuropathy greater than grade 1
• No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except non-melanoma skin cancer
• No documented seizure disorders since diagnosis of cancer
• * Patients with a history of seizure disorders allowed provided that the seizures have been stable (i.e., no seizure within the past 12 months) while on an appropriately monitored treatment regimen
• At least 3 weeks since prior biologic or immunologic agents directed at malignancy
• No prior thalidomide
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy directed at malignancy and recovered
• At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy directed at malignancy
• Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy directed at malignancy and recovered
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of marrow-bearing areas
• Recovered from prior surgery
• At least 3 weeks since any other prior therapy directed at malignancy
• No prior cancer therapy that would preclude study participation
• No concurrent bisphosphonates (e.g., zoledronate)