DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

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

  • Recurrent or progressive disease

• Received at least 1 prior platinum-based chemotherapy regimen containing carboplatin, cisplatin, or another organoplatinum compound for primary disease

  • May include high-dose therapy, consolidation, or extended therapy after surgical or non-surgical assessment
• No brain metastases or leptomeningeal involvement

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic:

• AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.8 mg/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF greater than 50% by radionuclide ventriculogram or two-dimensional echocardiogram
• No peripheral vascular disease requiring surgical management
• No prior myocardial infarction
• No congestive heart failure
• No orthostatic hypotension
• No acute ischemia or significant conduction abnormality (bifascicular block, defined as left anterior hemiblock with right bundle branch block, second or third degree AV blocks) as evidenced by electrocardiogram
• No prior cerebrovascular event

Other:

• No peripheral neuropathy grade 2 or greater
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No more than 2 prior regimens for recurrent disease, including 1 non-platinum containing regimen
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas and mitomycin) and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

• At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy directed at primary tumor
• Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed

Radiotherapy:

• Not specified

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery