DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed cervical cancer or other pelvic malignancy, including vaginal, endometrial, or ovarian cancer

  • Primary or recurrent disease

  • Locally advanced disease, defined as the following:

    • Stage IB2-IVA (for cervical or vaginal cancer)
    • Any non-extra pelvic metastatic stage (for endometrial or ovarian cancer)
• Not amenable to curative surgical resection alone
• Bidimensionally measurable or clinically evaluable disease
• Refused or ineligible for weekly IV cisplatin chemotherapy due to renal insufficiency, prior platinum adverse sensitivity, pre-existing neuropathy, or concurrent co-morbid illness
• No histologically confirmed or clinically suspicious (≥ 1 cm) para-aortic lymphadenopathy
• No brain metastases or primary brain tumors

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over (80 and under for second and third dose-escalation levels)

Performance status

• GOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
• AST and ALT < 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal

• See Disease Characteristics
• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min*
• No proteinuria or clinically significant impaired renal function NOTE: *Creatine clearance testing required in patients > 60 years of age

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No uncontrolled hypertension

Gastrointestinal

• Able to swallow oral medication
• No bowel obstruction
• No malabsorption illness

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known hypersensitivity to capecitabine or fluorouracil
• No ongoing or active infection
• No other uncontrolled illness
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

• No other active invasive malignancy

  • Prior malignancy in remission for ≥ 6 months that is not currently being treated allowed

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• Recovered from prior chemotherapy
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin or nitrosoureas)
• Prior chemotherapy for a non-gynecologic malignancy or in the adjuvant setting allowed
• No prior capecitabine

Endocrine therapy

• Prior adjuvant hormonal therapy allowed

Radiotherapy

• Recovered from prior radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Prior radiotherapy for a non-gynecologic malignancy allowed
• No prior low abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• At least 3 weeks since prior investigational anticancer agents and recovered
• No prior anticancer treatment that contraindicates study therapy