Depsipeptide (Romidepsin) in Treating Patients With Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial or Peritoneal Cavity Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed primary ovarian epithelial or peritoneal cavity cancer

  * Histologic confirmation of recurrent disease not required
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques (including palpation, plain x-ray, computed tomography \[CT\] scan, or magnetic resonance imaging \[MRI\]) OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* Achieved a complete response after initial prior platinum-containing (cisplatin or carboplatin) chemotherapy regimen (e.g., conventional-dose therapy, high-dose therapy, consolidation therapy, or extended therapy after surgical or nonsurgical assessment)

  * Patients who have not received paclitaxel or docetaxel as initial therapy may receive a second regimen containing these drugs
  * No prior chemotherapy for persistent or recurrent disease, including re-treatment with the original regimen
* Platinum-sensitive disease, defined as having a treatment-free interval with no evidence of progressive disease for \> 6 but \< 12 months after completion of a platinum-based regimen
* No known brain metastases
* Performance status - Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2
* Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
* More than 6 months
* White blood cells (WBC) ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Bilirubin normal
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure
* No myocardial infarction within the past year
* No uncontrolled dysrhythmias
* No poorly controlled angina
* No history of serious ventricular arrhythmia (e.g., ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, ≥ 3 beats in a row)
* QTc interval \< 500 msec
* No other significant cardiac disease
* Potassium normal
* Magnesium normal
* No uncontrolled electrolyte abnormality (hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia)
* No ongoing or active infection requiring antibiotics
* No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to study drug
* No neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No other uncontrolled illness
* No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
* No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No prior monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, or signal transduction inhibitors for recurrent disease
* No concurrent biologic therapy
* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) for the primary malignancy
* No prior FR901228 (depsipeptide)
* No other concurrent chemotherapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy for the primary malignancy
* Concurrent estrogen replacement therapy allowed
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No prior radiotherapy to \> 25% of bone marrow
* No concurrent radiotherapy
* Recovered from all prior therapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior noncytotoxic therapy for the primary malignancy
* No other prior noncytotoxic therapy for recurrent disease
* No concurrent combination anti-retroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No other concurrent drugs known to have histone deacetylase inhibitor activity (e.g., valproic acid)
* No concurrent agents that cause QTc prolongation
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No other concurrent anticancer agents