OBJECTIVES:
* Determine the feasibility of a randomized trial to determine the impact of the timing of surgery and chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian epithelial, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized, pilot, multicenter study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.
* Arm I (primary surgery): Patients undergo radical surgery. Within 6 weeks after primary surgery, patients receive chemotherapy comprising carboplatin alone or in combination with paclitaxel or another chemotherapy agent on day 1. Chemotherapy repeats every 3 weeks for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients may undergo interval debulking surgery after the third course of chemotherapy.
* Arm II (neoadjuvant chemotherapy): Patients receive chemotherapy as in arm I for 3 courses. Within 3 weeks after chemotherapy, patients undergo radical surgery. Within 6 weeks after surgery, patients receive an additional 3 courses of chemotherapy as in arm I.
Patients are followed at 9 months after randomization, every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 100-150 patients will be accrued for this study within 18 months.
