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

This phase I clinical trial studies the side effects and best dose of veliparib when given together with paclitaxel and cisplatin and to see how well they work in treating patients with cervical cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment or that has come back. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Veliparib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) and giving chemotherapy together with veliparib may kill more tumor cells.