RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: This phase I/II trial is studying the side effects and best dose of gemcitabine when given together with paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin, and to see how well they work in treating patients with progressive or relapsed metastatic germ cell tumors.

OBJECTIVES:

• To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of gemcitabine hydrochloride when administered with TIP chemotherapy comprising paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin with growth factor support (Gem-TIP) in patients with progressive or relapsed metastatic germ cell tumors.
• To compare the MTD of the Gem-TIP regimen with the MTD determined in a previous Medical Research Council study of TIP alone.
• To compare the degree of dose intensification achieved with Gem-TIP chemotherapy with that achieved in the prior study of TIP chemotherapy alone.
• To assess the dose of gemcitabine hydrochloride that can be delivered with the TIP regimen in these patients.
• To measure response rates and failure-free survival of patients treated with Gem-TIP alone.
• To assess the utility of PET scanning after Gem-TIP chemotherapy in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, phase I dose-escalation study of gemcitabine hydrochloride followed by a phase II study.

• Phase I: Patients receive gemcitabine hydrochloride IV over 30 minutes and paclitaxel IV over 3 hours on day 1, cisplatin IV over 4 hours on days 1-5, and ifosfamide IV over 1 hour on days 2-6. Patients also receive filgrastim or lenograstim (G-CSF) subcutaneously (SC) on days 7-18 or until blood counts recover OR pegfilgrastim SC once on day 6. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for up to 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
• Phase II: An additional cohort of 14 patients is treated as in phase I at the MTD determined in phase I.

After completion of study therapy, patients are followed periodically for up to 1 year and then at the investigator's discretion.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Meets the following criteria:

  • Histologically confirmed extracranial primary germ cell cancer, seminoma, or nonseminoma

    • Unresectable metastatic disease
    • No completely resected cancer

  • Rising serum markers (i.e., alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin) on sequential measurement or biopsy-proven unresectable germ cell cancer

• In first relapse after a single prior cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy

  • Patients with late relapse (i.e., > 2 years post initial chemotherapy) should be considered for surgery rather than chemotherapy, if technically feasible

• No patients with cerebral metastases alone

  • Progressive cerebral and systemic disease may be considered for this study, provided cranial irradiation is also considered as a component of care

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Medically and psychologically fit to receive this intensive chemotherapy schedule
• WBC > 3.5 times 10^9/L
• Platelet count > 130 times 10^9/L
• Glomerular filtration rate ≥ 50 mL/min (as determined by 24 hour creatinine clearance or nuclear medicine technique)
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other prior malignancy except successfully treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or superficial bladder cancer
• No prior allergic reactions to cisplatin or other platinum compounds

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics