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

RATIONALE: Pemetrexed may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving pemetrexed together with cisplatin may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving pemetrexed together with cisplatin and to see how well it works in treating patients with advanced, persistent, or recurrent cervical cancer.