Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Bladder or Kidney Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed advanced transitional cell urothelial cancer * Clinical Stage IV: T any, N1-3, M0; T any, N any, M1; or cT4, Nx, M0 (bladder tumors) * Pathological Stage III or IV bladder cancer: T any, N1-3, M0; T3b, N0, M0; T4, N0, M0; and T4, Nx, M0 * Pathological Stage III or IV urothelial cancer of the renal pelvis or ureter: T any, N1-3, M0; T3, N0, M0; T4, N0, M0; and surgery has been performed within 10 weeks of initiation of therapy * Impaired renal function (See Renal function tests) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * 18 and over Performance status: * Karnofsky 60-100% OR * ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 150,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin less than 1.5 times normal * Alkaline phosphatase less than 2 times normal * SGOT less than 2 times normal Renal: * Creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dL but no greater than 2.5 mg/dL OR * Creatinine clearance 30-59 mL/min Cardiovascular: * Normal cardiac function by history, physical examination, and chest radiograph OR * If prior cardiac disease, left ventricular ejection fraction must be at least 50% by radionuclide ventriculogram or echocardiogram * No serious cardiac arrhythmias; including first, second, and third degree heart block * No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease Other: * No uncontrolled infection * No other active cancer, except nonmelanomatous skin c…