Carboplatin With or Without Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Advanced Ovarian Epithelial Cancer That Has Not Responded to Previous Chemotherapy

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial carcinoma not amenable to curative surgery or radiotherapy

Evidence of recurrence or progression 6 months after discontinuation of prior first-line platinum-containing regimen
No tumor of borderline malignancy
Evaluable disease outside previously irradiated area
No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3
Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

Not specified

Renal:

Glomerular filtration rate greater than 50 mL/min

Other:

No concurrent active infection
No other primary malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or adequately treated basal cell skin cancer
No other concurrent serious systemic disorder

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

Not specified

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
No more than 1 prior platinum-based chemotherapy regimen
No prior gemcitabine
No other concurrent cytotoxic or antineoplastic treatment

Endocrine therapy:

At least 3 weeks since prior hormonal therapy
Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed
Concurrent steroid antiemetics allowed

Radiotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy (limited to the small pelvis)
Concurrent palliative radiotherapy to nontarget lesions allowed

Surgery:

See Disease Characteristics

Other:

At least 3 weeks since other prior investigational agents