Carboplatin and Paclitaxel With or Without Cediranib Maleate in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Cervical Cancer That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed carcinoma of the cervix, including any of the following subtypes: * Squamous cell carcinoma * Adenocarcinoma * Adenosquamous cell carcinoma * Must meet one of the following criteria: * Persistent or relapsed inoperable disease after radical radiotherapy within the irradiated pelvis * Relapse after radical hysterectomy (after radical radiotherapy to pelvis, if appropriate) * Extra pelvic metastases * Primary stage IVB disease * Not suitable for potentially curative surgical procedure * Measurable disease in ≥ 1 marker site * No CNS disease, including brain metastases, within the past 6 months PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-1 * Life expectancy \> 12 weeks * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 35 mL/min * No proteinuria \> 1+ on dipstick (on 2 consecutive dipsticks not less than 1 week apart), unless urinary protein is \< 1.5 g in a 24-hour period * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * ALT or AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN if hepatic metastases present) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN if hepatic metastases present) * Prothrombin ratio (PTR)/INR ≤ 1.5 OR PTR/INR 2.0-3.0 for patients on stable dose of anticoagulant * Partial thromboplastin time \< 1.2 times control * No history of a nervous or psychiatric disorder that would prevent informed consent and compliance * No prior malignancy within the past 5 years, except for successfully treated basal cell skin cancer or in-situ breast cancer * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment * No uncontrolled infection, defined as infection that cannot be resolved readily with antibiotics prior to trial entry * No history of significant gastrointestinal impairment, as judged by the Investigator, that would significantly affect the absorption of cediranib maleate * No history of pelvic fistula * No history of inflammatory bowel disease * No sub-acute or acute intestinal obstruction * No significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks * No non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture * No active bleeding * No history or evidence of thrombotic or hemorrhagic disorders * No uncontrolled seizures, cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, or subarachnoid hemorrhage within the past 6 months * No significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following: * Arterial thrombotic event within the past 12 months * Angina within the past 6 months * History of poorly controlled or uncontrolled hypertension or resting BP \> 150/100 mm Hg in the presence or absence of a stable regimen of anti-hypertensive therapy within the past 6 months * NYHA class II-IV congestive heart failure * Peripheral vascular disease ≥ grade 3 or cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication * Prolonged QTc (corrected) interval of \> 470 ms on ECG or a family history of long QT syndrome * Patients with rate-controlled atrial fibrillation are eligible * Not requiring intravenous nutritional support * No preexisting sensory or motor neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No history or clinical suspicion of spinal cord compression * No known hypersensitivity to carboplatin or paclitaxel * No evidence of any other disease, metabolic dysfunction, physical examination finding, or laboratory finding giving reasonable suspicion of a disease or condition that contraindicates the use of an investigational drug or puts the patient at high risk for treatment-related complications PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No unresolved toxicity ≥ CTC grade 2 from prior systemic anti-cancer therapy, except hematological toxicity or alopecia * No prior chemotherapy, except cisplatin administered along with radiotherapy as primary treatment * No major surgery within 28 days or anticipated while on study * More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 and 2C8, including any of the following: * Amiodarone * Clarithromycin * Erythromycin * Simvastatin * Atorvastatin * Lovastatin * Montelukast sodium * Verapamil * Ketoconazole * Miconazole * Indinavir (and other antivirals) * Diltiazem * No concurrent grapefruit juice or St. John wort