Docetaxel and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Relapsed Stage III or Stage IV Ovarian Epithelial or Primary Peritoneal Cavity Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cavity cancer
• * Stage III or IV disease
• * No borderline tumors
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• * Measurable disease, defined as evidence of disease by physical examination or radiographic evaluation
• * Evaluable disease, defined as CA 125 ≥ 100 U/mL (confirmed by 2 blood tests performed ≥ 1 week apart)
• In first relapse
• * Platinum-sensitive disease, defined as initial relapse \> 6 months after completion of a platinum-based regimen
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin normal
• Meets 1 of the following criteria:
• * SGOT and/or SGPT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AND alkaline phosphatase (AP) ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• * SGOT and/or SGPT ≤ 5.0 times ULN AND AP normal
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
• Cardiovascular
• LVEF ≥ 50%
• No poorly controlled arrhythmia
• No unstable coronary artery disease or myocardial infarction within the past year
• Other
• HIV negative
• No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy \> grade 2
• No history of allergy to study drugs
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• 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
• Other
• No concurrent myelosuppressive therapy