Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal
cancer

- Recurrent disease

- Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by
conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

- At least 1 target lesion not in a previously irradiated field

- Received 1, and only 1, prior platinum-based chemotherapy regimen for primary disease
containing carboplatin, cisplatin, or other organoplatinum compound

- Initial treatment may have included high-dose, consolidation, or extended
therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment

- Patients who have not received prior paclitaxel may receive a second regimen
that includes paclitaxel

- Platinum-sensitive disease

- Treatment-free interval* without clinical evidence of progressive disease for >
6 months after prior response to a platinum-based regimen NOTE: *Non-platinum
maintenance or consolidation therapy is not included in calculation of the
treatment-free interval

- Not eligible for a higher priority GOG protocol (i.e., any active phase III GOG
protocol for the same patient population)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- GOG 0-2

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 > 40 mL/min

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No sensory or motor neuropathy > grade 1

- No active infection requiring antibiotics

- No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- At least 3 weeks since prior biologic or immunologic agents for the malignancy

- No more than 1 prior non-cytotoxic (biologic or cytostatic) regimen (e.g., monoclonal
antibodies, cytokines, or small molecule inhibitors of signal transduction) for
recurrent disease

- No concurrent cytokines during the first course of study treatment

- No concurrent pegfilgrastim

Chemotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- See Biologic therapy

- Recovered from prior chemotherapy

- No other prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for recurrent disease, including retreatment
with initial chemotherapy regimen

- No prior topotecan

Endocrine therapy

- At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy for the malignancy

- Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- Recovered from prior radiotherapy

- No prior radiotherapy to > 25% of marrow-bearing areas

Surgery

- Recovered from prior surgery

Other

- At least 3 weeks since other prior therapy for the malignancy

- No prior anticancer therapy that would preclude study treatment