DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cavity cancer

• Recurrent or persistent platinum-refractory disease, as defined by 1 of the following:

  • Progressive disease while on a platinum compound
  • Persistent clinically measurable disease with best response as stable disease at the completion of ≥ 6 courses of therapy
  • Recurrent disease within 6 months after completion of therapy

• Measurable or evaluable disease

  • Evaluable disease, defined as CA 125 ≥ 100 U/mL (confirmed by 2 blood tests)
  • Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques, including palpation, plain x-ray, CT scan, or MRI, OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• GOG 0-3

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance > 50 mL/min

Other

• No clinically significant infection
• No other severe medical condition that would preclude study treatment
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or breast

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior gemcitabine or topotecan allowed provided disease is not refractory to either drug
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

• Recovered from recent prior surgery