Purpose

This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy works in treating young patients with recurrent or resistant malignant germ cell tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells.