S0031, ZD 1839 in Treating Patients With Advanced Cancer of the Urinary Tract

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urothelium (bladder, renal pelvis, ureter, or urethra) not curable by surgery or radiotherapy * Any T, N0-3, M1 or unresectable M0 * Poorly differentiated TCC, predominant TCC with rare foci of squamous differentiation, or rare foci of adenocarcinoma allowed * Measurable disease * At least 1 lesion accessible for biopsy * Soft tissue disease that has been irradiated within the past 2 months not considered measurable disease * Progressive or recurrent disease after only 1 prior systemic chemotherapy regimen for advanced disease * No adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, sarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or mixed histology PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Any age Performance status: * Zubrod 0-2 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 * Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,200/mm3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT no greater than 2 times ULN Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN Other: * No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer currently in complete remission * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) Chemotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * No prior adjuvant chemotherapy * At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy and recovered Endocrine therapy: * Not specified Radiotherapy: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered Surgery: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 28 days since prior surgery and recovered Other: * No prior systemic therapy between biopsy and study entry * At least 28 days since prior intravesical therapy and recovered * No concurrent agents that induce CYP3A4 (e.g., nafcillin, rifampin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, or St. John's Wort)