Oxaliplatin and Topotecan in Treating Patients With Previously Treated Ovarian Epithelial, Primary Peritoneal, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed ovarian epithelial cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, or fallopian tube cancer

  * Prior chemotherapy required
* Measurable or evaluable disease
* No symptomatic, untreated brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

* At least 4 months

Hematopoietic:

* WBC greater than 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) OR
* SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases)

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR
* Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

* No uncontrolled symptomatic congestive heart failure
* No unstable angina pectoris
* No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia

Other:

* No other active cancer
* No prior allergy to platinum compounds
* No prior allergic reactions to appropriate antiemetics (e.g., serotonin or antagonists) administered concurrently with study
* No other uncontrolled concurrent illness (e.g., infection)
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* See Chemotherapy
* No concurrent colony stimulating factors during topotecan administration

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior high-dose chemotherapy requiring bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* No prior radiotherapy to whole pelvic field
* At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

* No unresolved sequelae resulting from prior surgery

Other:

* At least 4 weeks since other prior investigational drug
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy