RO4929097 in Treating Patients With Recurrent and/or Metastatic Epithelial Ovarian Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed ovarian epithelial carcinoma, fallopian tube carcinoma, or primary peritoneal carcinoma that is recurrent or metastatic; patients must have platinum resistant disease, as defined as treatment free interval less than 6 months post completion of platinum-based chemotherapy

Patients must have measurable disease, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded for non-nodal lesions and short axis for nodal lesions) as \>= 20 mm with conventional techniques or as \>= 10 mm with spiral CT scan

* OR patients must have evidence of progression based on an elevated CA-125 (defined as a value of \> 2 x ULN documented on two separate determinations made \> 2 weeks apart, with the most recent being completed within 7 days prior to start of study treatment) if the physical exam is normal and maximum lesion diameter on the CT scan is \< 20 mm with conventional techniques or as \< 10 mm with spiral CT scan

Patients must have completed any prior chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery \>= 4 weeks (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) before study entry

* Prior radiotherapy is allowed provided that there is documented progression (either locally or systemically)

* Patients may have had up to 2 prior lines of chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease

* Toxic effects from prior therapy must have resolved to grade 1 or less except for peripheral neuropathy and alopecia

Life expectancy of greater than 12 weeks

ECOG performance status =\< 2 (Karnofsky \>= 60%)

Patients must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below (within 7 days prior to start of study treatment):

Hemoglobin \>= 90 g/L

Leukocytes \>= 3.0 x 10\^9/L

Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1.5 x 10\^9/L

Platelets \>= 100 x 10\^9/L

Total bilirubin =\< 2.5 ULN (institutional upper limit of normal)

AST (SGOT)/ALT (SGPT) =\< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (=\< 5 times the ULN for patients with liver metastases)

Creatinine within normal institutional limits OR creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal (using Cockcroft-Gault Formula)

All radiology studies must be performed =\< 4 weeks prior to the start of therapy

No serious medical conditions such as myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to entry, congestive heart failure, unstable ventricular arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, uncontrolled psychotic disorders, serious infections, active peptic ulcer disease, psychiatric illness, or any other medical conditions that might be aggravated by treatment or limit compliance

Currently no active, second malignancy other than non-melanoma skin cancers

* NOTE: Patients are not considered to have a "current active" malignancy if they have completed anti-cancer therapy and are considered by their physician to be at less than 30% risk of relapse

Absence of any psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule; those conditions should be discussed with the patient before registration in the trial

The effects of RO4929097on the developing human fetus at the recommended therapeutic dose are unknown; for this reason and because Notch signal pathway inhibitors are known to cause interruption of the embryonic signaling pathway and may lead to serious or life-threatening birth defects, including brain deformities, facial malformation, heart problems, or abnormal organs; if women of childbearing potential do not abstain\* from sexual activity they must use two forms of contraception (i.e., barrier contraception and one other method of contraception) at least 4 weeks prior to study entry; women of childbearing potential can either be abstinent or use two forms of contraception for the duration of study participation and for at least 12 months post-treatment; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she is participating in this study and for 12 months after study participation, the patient should inform the treating physician immediately

* Abstinent from sexual activity at least 4 weeks prior to study entry

* Pregnancy Testing: Women of childbearing potential are required to have a negative serum pregnancy test (with a sensitivity of at least 25 mIU/mL) within 10-14 days and within 24 hours prior to the first dose of RO4929097 (serum or urine); a pregnancy test (serum or urine) will be administered every 4 weeks if their menstrual cycles are regular or every 2 weeks if their cycles are irregular while on study within the 24-hour period prior to the administration of RO4929097; a positive urine test must be confirmed by a serum pregnancy test; prior to dispensing RO4929097, the investigator or clinical staff must confirm and document the patient's use of two contraceptive methods or abstinence, dates of negative pregnancy test, and confirm the patient's understanding of the potential of RO4929097 to cause serious or life-threatening birth defects

* Female patients of childbearing potential are defined as follows:

* Patients with regular menses

* Patients, after menarche with amenorrhea, irregular cycles, or using a contraceptive method that precludes withdrawal bleeding

* Women who have had tubal ligation

* Female patients may be considered to NOT be of childbearing potential for the following reasons:

* The patient has undergone total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy or bilateral oophorectomy

* The patient is medically confirmed to be menopausal (no menstrual period) for 24 consecutive months

* Pre-pubertal females; the parent or guardian of young female patients who have not yet started menstruation should verify that menstruation has not begun; if a young female patient reaches menarche during the study, then she is to be considered as a woman of childbearing potential from that time forward

Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document

What this study is about