Topotecan in Treating Patients With Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

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