Cisplatin and Radiation Therapy Followed by Paclitaxel and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Stage IB-IVA Cervical Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with histologically confirmed cervical cancer (squamous, adenocarcinoma, or adenosquamous): International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) clinical stages IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB, IVA, with positive para-aortic lymph nodes confirmed by positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scan, fine needle biopsy, extraperitoneal biopsy, laparoscopic biopsy or lymphadenectomy * Patients must have a Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) performance status of 0-2 * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500/mcl * Platelets \>= 100,000/mcl * Creatinine =\< institutional upper limit normal (ULN); Note: if creatinine \> ULN, creatinine clearance must be \> 50 mL/min * Bilirubin =\< 1.5 times ULN * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\]) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 2.5 x ULN * Alkaline phosphatase =\< 2.5 x ULN * Neuropathy (sensory and motor) =\< grade 1 * Patients with ureteral obstruction must undergo stent or nephrostomy tube placement prior to study entry * Patients must meet the pre-entry requirements * Patients must have signed an approved informed consent and authorization permitting the release of personal health information * Patients of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test prior to study entry (within 72 hours prior to initiation of study treatment) and be practicing an effective form of contraception; women should not breast-feed while on this study * Patients must not be receiving any other investigational agent * Patients should have an audiogram at baseline, and patients with pre-existing hearing loss or hearing loss during treatment should be assessed frequently during cisplatin therapy Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have received previous pelvic or abdominal radiation, cytotoxic chemotherapy, or previous therapy of any kind for this malignancy * Patients with active infection * Patients who have circumstances that will not permit completion of this study or the required follow-up * Patients with renal abnormalities, such as pelvic kidney, horseshoe kidney, or renal transplantation, that would require modification of radiation fields * Patients with a history of other invasive malignancies, with the exception of non-melanoma skin cancer, are excluded if there is any evidence of other malignancy being present within the last five years; patients are also excluded if their previous cancer treatment contraindicates this protocol therapy * Patients who have undergone major surgery, excluding diagnostic biopsy, within 30 days (to allow for full recovery) prior to registration * Patients who have a significant history of cardiac disease, (i.e., uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina, congestive heart failure, or uncontrolled arrhythmias) within 6 months of registration * Patients who have a known sensitivity reactions to products containing Cremophor EL