Paclitaxel and Radiation Therapy With or Without Trastuzumab in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery for Bladder Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

Histologically or cytologically confirmed primary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder

Histologic evidence of muscularis propria invasion

Meets 1 of the following stage criteria:

Stage T2-4a; NX, N0, or N1; and M0 disease
Clinical stage T1, grade 3/3 disease AND requires definitive local therapy

Tumor involvement of the prostatic urethra allowed provided the following criteria are met:

Tumor was visibly completely resected
No evidence of stromal invasion of the prostate
No evidence of distant metastases by chest x-ray (or chest CT scan) within 8 weeks prior to registration
No evidence of distant metastases by abdominal/pelvic CT scan (or MRI scan) within 8 weeks prior to registration
Has undergone transurethral bladder resection (as thorough as is judged safely possible) within the past 3-8 weeks, including bimanual examination with tumor mapping
Sufficient tumor tissue available for HER2/neu analysis
Not a candidate for radical cystectomy
Performance status - Zubrod 0-2
Absolute neutrophil count >= 1,800/mm^3
Platelet count >= 100,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin >= 8.0 g/dL (transfusion or other intervention allowed)
Bilirubin < 2.0 mg/dL
Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) < 2.5 times upper limit of normal
No hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects
Creatinine =< 3.0 mg/dL
Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >= 40% by multigated acquisition scan (MUGA) scan or echocardiogram
No unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the past 6 months
No transmural myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
Not pregnant or nursing
No nursing for 6 months after completion of study treatment (for patients receiving trastuzumab [Herceptin®])
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of study treatment
Able to tolerate systemic chemotherapy and pelvic radiotherapy
No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
No history of allergic reaction to study drugs
No history of inflammatory bowel disease
No acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring IV antibiotics
No AIDS
No other severe active comorbidity
No prior systemic chemotherapy with anthracyclines or taxanes
No prior systemic chemotherapy for TCC
No prior pelvic radiotherapy