Gemcitabine and Topotecan in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal Cavity Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cavity cancer
• Recurrent or persistent platinum-refractory disease, as defined by 1 of the following:
• * Progressive disease while on a platinum compound
• * Persistent clinically measurable disease with best response as stable disease at the completion of ≥ 6 courses of therapy
• * Recurrent disease within 6 months after completion of therapy
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• * Evaluable disease, defined as CA 125 ≥ 100 U/mL (confirmed by 2 blood tests)
• * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques, including palpation, plain x-ray, CT scan, or MRI, OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• GOG 0-3
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
• Other
• No clinically significant infection
• No other severe medical condition that would preclude study treatment
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or breast
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior gemcitabine or topotecan allowed provided disease is not refractory to either drug
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery
• Recovered from recent prior surgery