Oxaliplatin and Topotecan in Treating Patients With Previously Treated Ovarian Epithelial, Primary Peritoneal, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

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

Prior chemotherapy required
Measurable or evaluable disease
No symptomatic, untreated brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

At least 4 months

Hematopoietic:

WBC greater than 3,000/mm^3
Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) OR
SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases)

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR
Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

No uncontrolled symptomatic congestive heart failure
No unstable angina pectoris
No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia

Other:

No other active cancer
No prior allergy to platinum compounds
No prior allergic reactions to appropriate antiemetics (e.g., serotonin or antagonists) administered concurrently with study
No other uncontrolled concurrent illness (e.g., infection)
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

See Chemotherapy
No concurrent colony stimulating factors during topotecan administration

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
No prior high-dose chemotherapy requiring bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

No prior radiotherapy to whole pelvic field
At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

No unresolved sequelae resulting from prior surgery

Other:

At least 4 weeks since other prior investigational drug
No other concurrent investigational agents
No other concurrent anticancer therapy