Gemcitabine and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Uterine Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed uterine carcinosarcoma * Malignant mixed Müllerian tumor, homologous or heterologous type * Recurrent or persistent disease * Progressive disease after prior local therapy * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan * At least 1 target lesion * Tumors within a previously irradiated field are not considered target lesions except documented progression or biopsy to confirm persistence at least 90 days after completion of radiation therapy * Received 1, and only 1, prior chemotherapy regimen for carcinosarcoma * Initial treatment may have included high-dose therapy, consolidation, or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment * Ineligible for higher priority GOG protocol (i.e., any active phase III GOG protocol for the same patient population) * Performance status - GOG 0-2 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit normal (ULN) * SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * No severe pulmonary disease requiring oxygen supplementation * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No active infection requiring antibiotics * No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer * No neuropathy (sensory or motor) \> grade 1 * At least 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy or immunotherapy for the malignancy * No more than 1 prior non-cytotoxic (biologic or cytostatic) regimen (e.g., monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, or small molecule inhibitors of signal transduction) for recurrent or persistent disease * Recovered from prior chemotherapy * No more than 1 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen, either as a single agent or combination therapy * No prior docetaxel or gemcitabine * At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy for the malignancy * Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed * Recovered from prior radiotherapy * Recovered from prior surgery * At least 3 weeks since other prior therapy for the malignancy * No prior cancer treatment that would preclude study therapy