EGEN-001 and Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •Patients must have histologic diagnosis of epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinoma which is now persistent or recurrent; histologic documentation of the original primary tumor is required via the pathology report
• •Patients with the following histologic epithelial cell types are eligible: high-grade serous adenocarcinoma, endometrioid adenocarcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, clear cell adenocarcinoma, mixed epithelial carcinoma, or adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (N.O.S.)
• •Patients must have recurrence documented by elevated CA-125 (biochemical recurrence) or clinically evident measurable or non-measurable recurrent disease as defined below:
• •* Biochemical recurrence is defined as a CA-125 greater than or equal to two times the upper normal limit; patients whose CA-125 is less than 100 U/mL must undergo a second confirmatory value within a period of not more than 4 weeks; patients with a level greater than or equal to 100 U/mL may be entered without confirmatory measurement; the CA-125 assessment for eligibility must be done at least 4 weeks after paracentesis or other surgical procedures
• •* Detectable (non-measurable) disease is defined as symptomatic ascites or pleural effusions, solid and/or cystic abnormalities on radiographic imaging that do not meet RECIST 1.1 definitions for target lesions and/or biopsy-proven recurrence
• •* Measurable disease will be defined by RECIST 1.1; measurable disease is defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded); each lesion must be ? 10 mm when measured by computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or caliper measurement by clinical exam; or ? 20 mm when measured by chest x-ray; lymph nodes must be ? 15 mm in short axis when measured by CT or MRI
• •* Patients with measurable disease must have had at least one ?target lesion? to be used to assess response on this protocol as defined by RECIST 1.1; tumors within a previously irradiated field will be designated as ?non-target? lesions unless progression is documented or a biopsy is obtained to confirm persistence at least 90 days following completion of radiation therapy
• •Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500/mcl; this ANC cannot have been induced or supported by granulocyte colony-stimulating factors
• •Platelets \>= 100,000/mcl
• •Creatinine =\< 1.5 times institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Bilirubin =\< 1.5 times ULN
• •Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =\< 3.0 x ULN
• •Alkaline phosphatase =\< 2.5 x ULN
• •Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) greater than or equal to institutional lower limit of normal (LLN) as determined by gated cardiac radionucleotide scan (multi-gated acquisition scan \[MUGA\]) or echocardiogram
• •Neuropathy (sensory and motor) less than or equal to grade 1
• •Patients must have recovered from effects of recent surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy
• •Patients should be free of active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics
• •Any hormonal therapy directed at the malignant tumor must be discontinued at least one week prior to registration; continuation of hormone-replacement therapy is permitted
• •Any other prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor, including biological and immunologic agents, must be discontinued at least three weeks prior to registration
• •Patients must have had one prior platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimen for management of primary disease containing carboplatin, cisplatin, or another organoplatinum compound; this initial treatment may have included intraperitoneal therapy, consolidation, non-cytotoxic agents, or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment
• •Patients are allowed to receive, but are not required to receive, two additional cytotoxic regimens for management of recurrent or persistent disease, with no more than 1 non-platinum, non-taxane regimen
• •Prior treatment with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride \[Doxil\] or other anthracyclines is NOT allowed
• •Patients are allowed to receive, but are not required to receive, non-cytotoxic therapy (such as bevacizumab) as part of their primary treatment regimen
• •Patients who have received only one prior cytotoxic regimen (platinum-based regimen for management of primary disease), must have a platinum-free interval of less than 12 months, have progressed during platinum-based therapy, or have persistent disease after a platinum-based therapy
• •Gynecology Oncology Group (GOG) performance status of 0 or 1
• •Patients of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to the study entry and be practicing an effective form of contraception; if applicable, patients must discontinue breastfeeding prior to study entry
• •Patients who have met the pre-entry requirements
• •Patients must have signed an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved informed consent and authorization permitting release of personal health information