Topotecan in Treating Women With Persistent or Recurrent Cervical Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed carcinoma of the cervix * Squamous cell or nonsquamous cell * Persistent or recurrent disease * Documented disease progression * Measurable disease * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable target lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan * Tumors within a previously irradiated field are considered non-target lesions unless disease progression is documented or a biopsy is obtained to confirm persistent disease at least 90 days after completion of prior radiotherapy * Must have received 1 prior systemic chemotherapy regimen for persistent or recurrent squamous cell or nonsquamous cell carcinoma of the cervix * Chemotherapy administered with primary radiotherapy as a radiosensitizer is not considered a systemic chemotherapy regimen * Not eligible for a higher priority GOG protocol (i.e., any active phase III GOG protocol for the same patient population) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * GOG 0-2 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN Renal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN Other * Sensory or motor neuropathy ≤ grade 1 * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No active infection requiring antibiotics * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * One prior non-cytotoxic (biologic or cytostatic) regimen for recurrent or persistent disease allowed, including, but not limited to, the following: * Monoclonal antibodies * Cytokines * Small-molecule inhibitors of signal transduction * At least 3 weeks since prior biologic or immunologic agents for cervical cancer * No concurrent prophylactic growth factors, including filgrastim (G-CSF), sargramostim (GM-CSF), or pegfilgrastim * No concurrent prophylactic thrombopoietic agents Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * Recovered from prior chemotherapy * No more than 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen (either with single or combination cytotoxic drug therapy) * No prior topotecan Endocrine therapy * At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy for cervical cancer * Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * Recovered from prior radiotherapy Surgery * Recovered from prior surgery Other * At least 3 weeks since other prior therapy for cervical cancer * No prior cancer therapy that would preclude study participation