Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Locally Advanced or Metastatic Bladder Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed stage IV locally advanced or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium that is not amenable to curative surgery or radiotherapy

T4b or N2 or N3 or M1
No pure adenocarcinomas, pure squamous carcinomas, or small cell carcinoma
Evaluable or bidimensionally measurable disease If only single lesion, must not be within portal of prior irradiation

No active CNS metastases

Adequately treated CNS metastases eligible provided stable for 8 weeks following therapy and no longer requires steroids or antiseizure medication
No clinically significant pleural effusions or ascites unless drained prior to administration of methotrexate

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

CALGB 0-1

Life expectancy:

At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

Hepatic:

Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL
SGOT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

No uncontrolled cardiac disease (e.g., congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, or angina)

Pulmonary:

No uncontrolled pulmonary disease (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Other:

Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation
No concurrent active infection
No known hypersensitivity to docetaxel, methotrexate, cisplatin, gemcitabine, filgrastim (G-CSF), oprevelkin, or any component of these products
No serious concurrent medical disorder
No medical or psychiatric conditions that would compromise consent or preclude completion of study
No other malignancy within the past 3 years except:
Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
Adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer
Stage I or II prostate cancer provided adequate local therapy (surgery or radiation) has been administered and PSA is less than 1.0 ng/mL
No preexisting peripheral neuropathy grade 2 or greater

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

Not specified

Chemotherapy:

No prior systemic chemotherapy for metastatic disease
At least 6 months since prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy
No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

No concurrent steroids

Radiotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered

Other:

No other concurrent investigational drugs