A Phase II Trial Evaluating Cisplatin (NSC #119875) and Gemcitabine (NSC #613327) Concurrent With Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) in the Treatment of Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Vulva (NCT #01595061)

• Patients with locally advanced, previously untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva

• Patients with T2 or T3 primary tumors (N0-3, M0) not amenable to surgical resection by standard radical vulvectomy

• Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500/mcl

• Platelets \>= 100,000/mcl

• Creatinine =\< 1.5 times institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) OR calculated creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min

• Bilirubin =\< 1.5 x ULN

• Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =\< 3.0 x ULN

• Alkaline phosphatase =\< 3 x ULN

• Patients judged capable of tolerating a radical course of chemoradiation therapy

• Patients must not be eligible for a higher priority Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) protocol, if one exists; in general, this would refer to any active GOG Phase III protocol or Rare Tumor protocol for the same patient population

• Patients must have signed an approved informed consent and authorization permitting release of personal health information

• Patients with a GOG performance status of 0, 1, or 2