Cetuximab and Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Advanced, Persistent, or Recurrent Cervical Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed squamous or non-squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix * Advanced, persistent, or recurrent disease * Documented disease progression * Not amenable to curative therapy * Measurable disease * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan * At least 1 target lesion * Tumors within a previously irradiated field are designated as non-target lesions unless progression is documented or a biopsy is obtained ≥ 90 days after completion of radiotherapy to confirm persistence PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * GOG 0-2 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN Renal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN Cardiovascular * No significant history of cardiac disease within the past 6 months, including the following: * Unstable angina * Uncontrolled hypertension * Uncontrolled congestive heart failure * Uncontrolled arrhythmia Neurologic * No uncontrolled seizure disorder * No active neurological disease * No neuropathy (sensory and motor) \> grade 1 Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No active infection requiring antibiotics * No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No prior anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody therapy * No prior chimerized or murine monoclonal antibody therapy Chemotherapy * Not specified Endocrine therapy * At least 1 week since prior anticancer hormonal therapy * Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery * More than 30 days since prior major surgery, except diagnostic biopsy Other * Recovered from all prior therapy * No prior cytotoxic therapy for cervical cancer * No prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy that targets the EGFR pathway * No prior cancer treatment that would contraindicate study therapy * No other concurrent investigational agents