Tamoxifen Compared With Thalidomide in Treating Women With Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •Histologically confirmed stage III or IV ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer that was treated with only 1 prior first-line chemotherapy regimen (platinum/taxane-based)
• •Clinically and radiologically without evidence of measurable and nonmeasurable disease
• •* Symptomatic ascites and pleural effusions are considered nonmeasurable disease
• •Must have a biochemical recurrence
• •* CA 125 must have been normal prior to or normalized during first-line therapy and then subsequently rose to exceed twice the upper limit of normal
• •* Patients entering study with a CA 125 level less than 100 U/mL must be confirmed a second time within a period of not more than 4 weeks
• •* Patients with a CA 125 level of at least 100 U/mL may be entered without confirmatory measurement
• •Ineligible for a higher priority Gynecologic Oncology Group protocol (if one exists)
• •No history of brain metastases
• •Performance status - GOG 0-1
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• •Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• •No history of deep venous thrombosis
• •No prior cerebrovascular accident
• •No history of pulmonary embolism
• •No significant infection
• •No grade 2 or greater sensory or motor neuropathy
• •No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use at least 1 highly active method and at least 1 additional effective method of contraception for 4 weeks before, during, and for 4 weeks after study participation
• •No prior immunotherapy (e.g., interleukins)
• •No prior biological response modifiers (e.g., monoclonal antibodies)
• •No prior antiangiogenic agents (e.g., carbonic anhydrase inhibitors)
• •At least 3 weeks since prior anticancer chemotherapy and recovered
• •No prior or concurrent tamoxifen or other selective estrogen receptor modulators
• •At least 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent hormones (e.g., estrogen or progesterone)
• •At least 3 weeks since prior anticancer radiotherapy and recovered
• •At least 3 weeks since prior anticancer surgery and recovered
• •Prior second-look surgery without cytoreduction allowed
• •At least 3 weeks since other prior anticancer therapy and recovered
• •No prior interval cytoreduction
• •No concurrent full-dose therapeutic anticoagulation
• •No concurrent antiseizure medications for seizure disorder
• •No concurrent bisphosphonates (e.g., zoledronate)