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

Inclusion criteria

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