S0200 Carboplatin With or Without Doxil in Patients With Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial carcinoma
• * Stage III or IV disease at time of initial staging laparotomy
• Primary peritoneal and mixed Mullerian tumors allowed
• No borderline ovarian tumors
• Disease progression or recurrence after a progression-free and platinum-free interval of 6-24 months after completion of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy (either single agent or combination therapy)
• Disease progression or recurrence based solely on CA 125 elevation allowed, provided that one of the following is true:
• * Prior baseline CA 125 greater than 35 U/mL and subsequent normalization of no greater than 35 U/mL must have CA 125 greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) on 2 occasions at least 1 week apart
• * Prior baseline CA 125 greater than 35 U/mL that never normalized must have CA 125 greater than 2 times the nadir value on 2 occasions at least 1 week apart
• * Prior normal baseline CA 125 (no greater than 35 U/mL) must show CA 125 greater than 2 times ULN on 2 occasions at least 1 week apart
• No known brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• Not specified
• Performance status
• Zubrod 0-1
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Hepatic
• SGOT and/or SGPT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN
• Bilirubin no greater than ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 1.9 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV cardiac disease
• No clinical evidence of congestive heart failure
• Ejection fraction greater than 50% by MUGA or 2-dimensional echocardiogram
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or incidental carcinoid cancer
• No evidence of active or uncontrolled infection
• No severe gastrointestinal symptoms (i.e., partial obstruction) and/or gastrointestinal bleeding or diarrhea
• No greater than grade 1 preexisting sensory neuropathy
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• At least 28 days since prior biologic consolidation therapy
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior non-platinum-containing consolidation chemotherapy
• No prior pegylated doxorubicin HCl liposome
• No prior cumulative anthracycline (e.g., doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin) dose in excess of 240 mg/m\^2
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• No concurrent hormonal therapy
• Radiotherapy
• No prior abdominopelvic irradiation
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior surgical debulking for disease progression or recurrence and recovered
• No concurrent surgery
• Other
• No other prior treatment during the 6-24 month progression-free and platinum-free interval except up to 12 courses of consolidation therapy
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy