DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed endometrial cancer

• Advanced or recurrent disease

  • Stage IIIB or IIIC disease

    • Stage IIIA disease allowed provided there is serosal involvement or direct extension or metastasis to the adnexa
    • No stage IIIA confirmed by only positive peritoneal washings
  • Stage IVA or IVB disease
• Failed local therapy or considered incurable with local therapy

• Measurable or evaluable disease

  • Not required for newly diagnosed stage III or IV disease with no remaining disease after surgery

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

• GOG 0-1

Life expectancy

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL

Hepatic

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • Alkaline phosphatase (AP) normal AND AST or ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • AP ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
  • AP ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST or ALT normal
• Bilirubin normal
• No acute hepatitis

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL

Immunologic

• No known hypersensitivity to docetaxel or polysorbate 80
• No severe infection
• No septicemia

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective nonhormonal contraception during and for at least 3 months after study treatment
• No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No severe gastrointestinal bleeding requiring a blood transfusion or hospitalization
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmetastatic, nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy

Radiotherapy

• No prior radiotherapy

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics