Belinostat and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer That Did Not Respond to Carboplatin or Cisplatin

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients must have recurrent or persistent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinoma; histologic documentation of the original primary tumor is required via the pathology report
• Patients with the following histologic epithelial cell types are eligible: Serous adenocarcinoma, endometrioid adenocarcinoma, mucinous adenocarcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, clear cell adenocarcinoma, mixed epithelial carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, malignant Brenner's Tumor, or adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (N.O.S.)
• All patients must have measurable disease as defined by RECIST 1.1; measureable disease is defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest dimension to be recorded); each lesion must be >= 10 mm when measured by CT, MRI or caliper measurement by clinical exam; or >= 20 mm when measured by chest x-ray; lymph nodes must be >= 15 mm in short axis when measured by CT or MRI
• Patients must have at least one "target lesion" to be used to assess response on this protocol as defined by RECIST 1.1; tumors within a previously irradiated field will be designated as "non-target" lesions unless progression is documented or a biopsy is obtained to confirm persistence at least 90 days following completion of radiation therapy
• Patients must not be eligible for a higher priority GOG protocol, if one exists; in general, this would refer to any active GOG Phase III or Rare Tumor protocol for the same patient population
• Patients must have a GOG Performance Status of 0, 1, or 2
• Recovery from effects of recent surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy
• Patients should be free of active infection requiring antibiotics (with the exception of uncomplicated UTI)
• Any hormonal therapy directed at the malignant tumor must be discontinued at least one week prior to registration; continuation of hormone replacement therapy is permitted
• Any other prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor, including biological and immunologic agents, must be discontinued at least three weeks prior to registration
• Patients must have had one prior platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimen for management of primary disease containing carboplatin, cisplatin, or another organoplatinum compound; this initial treatment may have included non-cytotoxic therapy, intraperitoneal therapy, high-dose therapy, consolidation, or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment
• Patients must be considered platinum resistant or refractory according to the following criteria:
• Patients must have had progression of disease on or within 6 months of their last platinum dose
• Progression of disease is defined according to RECIST 1.1
• The development of CA125 elevation on or within 6 months of last platinum treatment, in the absence of radiographic progression according to RECIST 1.1, is not considered platinum resistance for the purposes of this study
• Patients who have NOT received prior therapy with taxane-based chemotherapy MUST receive a second regimen that includes paclitaxel or docetaxel
• Patients must be considered paclitaxel-resistant, i.e., have had a treatment-free interval following paclitaxel of less than six months, or have progressed during paclitaxel-based therapy
• Patients must have NOT received any additional cytotoxic chemotherapy for management of recurrent or persistent disease, including retreatment with initial chemotherapy regimens except as noted above; (note: Optimal evaluation of the safety and efficacy of new chemotherapy regimens is best performed in patients with minimal prior therapy; non-investigational therapy, such as retreatment with platinum and/or paclitaxel, is non-curative in the setting of recurrent disease, and can generally be safely administered to patients following participation in a phase II trial)
• Patients are allowed to receive, but are not required to receive, one additional non-cytotoxic regi