Gemcitabine Hydrochloride and Docetaxel With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Advanced or Recurrent Uterine Leiomyosarcoma

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine whether the addition of bevacizumab to fixed-dose rate gemcitabine-docetaxel reduces the progression-free survival (PFS) event rate when compared to gemcitabine-docetaxel plus placebo in patients with advanced or recurrent uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the objective response rate, as measured by RECIST, of patients treated with fixed-dose rate gemcitabine-docetaxel with bevacizumab, compared with the objective response rate of patients treated with fixed-dose rate gemcitabine-docetaxel with placebo. II. To determine if the addition of bevacizumab to the combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel increases overall survival in patients with advanced or recurrent uterine LMS. III. To determine the toxicity profile of fixed-dose rate gemcitabine-docetaxel with and without bevacizumab in this patient population. IV. To bank formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue for research. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to prior whole-pelvic radiotherapy (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive a placebo IV over 30-90 minutes on day 1, gemcitabine hydrochloride IV over 90 minutes on days 1 and 8, and docetaxel IV over 60 minutes on day 8. Patients also receive filgrastim subcutaneously (SC) on days 9-15 or pegfilgrastim SC on day 9 or 10. ARM II: Patients receive bevacizumab IV over 30-90 minutes on day 1, gemcitabine hydrochloride IV over 90 minutes on days 1 and 8, and docetaxel IV over 60 minutes on day 8. Patients also receive filgrastim SC on days 9-15 or pegfilgrastim SC on day 9 or 10. In both arms, courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years and then every 6 months for 3 years.