OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to prior chemotherapy status: chemotherapy naive (no prior chemotherapy, or prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy at least 6 months prior to recurrence, or prior biologic agents only) vs chemotherapy exposed (one prior chemotherapy regimen directed at recurrent or newly diagnosed metastatic disease and/or prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy less than 6 months prior to recurrence). Patients receive gemcitabine as a 30 minute infusion weekly for 3 weeks followed by one week of rest. Cisplatin is administered as a 30-60 minute infusion immediately preceding gemcitabine. Treatment repeats every 28 days for 2-6 courses, depending on response. Patients with previously untreated metastatic disease may have treatment interrupted to receive radiation therapy to locoregional disease sites. Patients may continue treatment beyond 6 courses at the discretion of the physician. Patients are followed every 3 months.