DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed epithelial ovarian carcinoma

  • No borderline ovarian carcinoma
  • Stage III/IV disease that has been suboptimally or optimally debulked

• The following histologies are eligible:

  • Adenocarcinoma (unspecified)
  • Mucinous cystadenocarcinoma
  • Clear cell adenocarcinoma
  • Serous cystadenocarcinoma
  • Endometrioid adenocarcinoma
  • Transitional cell carcinoma
  • Malignant Brenner's tumor
  • Undifferentiated carcinoma
  • Mixed epithelial carcinoma
  • Extraovarian papillary serous cystadenocarcinoma
• Measurable or evaluable disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• GOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

• Enabling completion of at least 2 courses of therapy

Hematopoietic:

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

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• No myocardial infarction within 6 months
• No congestive heart failure
• No unstable or uncontrolled angina
• No history of cardiac arrhythmia requiring anti-arrhythmia medication
• No uncontrolled hypertension

Other:

• No hypersensitivity to E. coli-derived drug preparation
• No active infection
• No sensory neuropathy
• No other malignancies within the past 5 years except nonmelanomatous skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Recovered from any recent surgery