Gemcitabine With or Without Docetaxel as Second-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Relapsed, Unresectable Uterine or Soft Tissue Leiomyosarcoma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed uterine or soft tissue leiomyosarcoma, meeting ≥ 1 of the following criteria: Metastatic disease Relapsed and unresectable disease Prior treatment with a first-line anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimen required Relapsed disease > 1 year after adjuvant chemotherapy is considered untreated disease If relapsed disease occurs < 1 year after adjuvant therapy, then adjuvant therapy is considered a first-line treatment At least 1 measurable lesion, defined as the following: At least 1 target lesion must be located in a non-irradiated area Obvious disease progression within the past 6 weeks No other uterine sarcomas, including any of the following: Carcinosarcoma Endometrial stroma sarcoma Other soft tissue sarcoma No symptomatic or known brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status WHO 0-2 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN No specific hepatic contraindication to study treatment Hepatitis B core and hepatitis B surface antigen negative Renal Creatinine < 1.5 times ULN No specific renal contraindication to study treatment Cardiovascular No specific cardiac contraindication to study treatment Immunologic HIV negative No specific allergic contraindication to study treatment No active infection Other Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception No other serious underlying pathology that would preclude study treatment No other prior malignancy except basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix No neurotoxicity > grade 2 No psychological, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study compliance or follow-up schedule No prior or concurrent psychiatric illness PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy No prior allogeneic graft or autologous graft Chemotherapy See Disease Characteristics More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy No prior gemcitabine and/or taxane (i.e., docetaxel or paclitaxel) Endocrine therapy More than 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy Radiotherapy See Disease Characteristics More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy to the only evaluable lesion Surgery Not specified Other No concurrent participation in another clinical trial using an experimental agent