Gemcitabine Hydrochloride, Cisplatin, and Temsirolimus as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced and/or Metastatic Transitional Cell Cancer of the Urothelium

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium * Pure or mixed histology * Upper or lower urinary tract * Radiologically evaluable\* locally advanced and/or metastatic disease not amenable to curative treatment with surgery or radiotherapy, meeting any 1 of the following criteria: * T4b, any N, any M * Any T, N2-3, any M * Any T, any N, M1 * NOTE: \*Patients enrolled in the phase II portion of the trial must have radiologically measurable disease. * No transitional cell cancer for which subsequent radical treatment is being considered with a view to possibly cure the disease * No history of CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * WHO performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy ≥ 3 months * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1.5 x 10\^9/L * Platelet count ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * ALT and ALP ≤ 2.5 times ULN * PT or INR ≤ 1.5 * GFR ≥ 60 mL/min (uncorrected for surface area and measured by isotopic means) * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Fit to receive cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy * No previous malignancy other than nonmelanoma skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or incidental localized prostate cancer * No known HIV positivity or chronic hepatitis B or C infection * No symptomatic coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, congestive cardiac failure…