DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed soft tissue sarcoma of the gynecologic tract, including 1 of the following subtypes:

  • Uterine leiomyosarcoma
  • Malignant mixed mullerian tumor/carcinosarcoma
  • Disease originating in the ovary or fallopian tube allowed
• Locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic disease
• Previously treated disease must have radiographic or clinical evidence of progressive disease

• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

  • Indicator lesions may not have been previously treated with surgery, radiotherapy, or radiofrequency ablation unless progressive disease has been confirmed
• No evidence of CNS disease, including primary brain tumor or brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
• Life expectancy > 3 months
• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT ≤ 3 times ULN
• INR ≤ 1.5 (unless on warfarin)
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Urine protein < 1+ by dipstick OR 24-hour urine protein < 500 mg OR urine protein:creatinine ratio < 1
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment
• No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated cervical carcinoma in situ or nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to study agents
• No serious or nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
• No abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, bowel obstruction, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 28 days
• No significant traumatic injuries within the past 28 days

• No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  • Cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months

  • Uncontrolled hypertension, defined as blood pressure (BP) > 150/100 mm Hg OR systolic BP > 180 mm Hg if diastolic BP < 90 mm Hg, on ≥ 2 repeated determinations on separate days within the past 3 months

    • Antihypertensive medications allowed, as long as the dose and number of antihypertensive medications have not been increased within the past 2 weeks
  • Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, or unstable angina within the past 6 months
  • New York Heart Association class III-IV congestive heart failure, serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication, or unstable angina pectoris within the past 6 months
  • Clinically significant peripheral vascular disease within the past 6 months (i.e., limiting activities of daily living or the presence of pain at rest)
  • Pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, or other thromboembolic event within the past 6 months
• No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy

• No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Ongoing or active infection
  • Psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No more than 2 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen for recurrent, locally advanced, or metastatic disease
• Recovered from prior therapy
• No prior antiangiogenic agent
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas, carmustine, or mitomycin C)
• At least 4 weeks since prior investigational treatment
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery or open biopsy
• At least 1 week since prior core biopsy
• At least 1 month since prior thrombolytic agents

• Concurrent full-dose anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) with INR > 1.5 allowed provided all the following criteria are met:

  • In-range INR (usually between 2-3) on a stable dose of oral anticoagulant or on a stable dose of low molecular weight heparin

    • For patients on warfarin, the upper target for INR is ≤ 3
  • No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding (e.g., tumor invading major vessels or known varices)
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent major surgery
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients