Mifepristone in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Ovarian Epithelial, Primary Peritoneal, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube carcinoma\*

  * Recurrent or refractory disease NOTE: \*Histological confirmation of original primary tumor required
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques, including palpation, plain x-ray, CT scan, and MRI OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

  * Must have ≥ 1 target lesion

    * Tumors within a previously irradiated field are designated as nontarget lesions unless progression is documented or a biopsy is obtained to confirm persistence ≥ 90 days after completion of radiotherapy
* Prior treatment with 1 platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimen (comprising carboplatin, cisplatin, or another organoplatinum compound) for management of primary disease required

  * Initial treatment may have included any of the following:

    * High-dose therapy
    * Consolidation therapy
    * Extended therapy administered after surgical or nonsurgical assessment
  * Patients must meet ≥ 1 of the following criteria:

    * Treatment-free interval after platinum therapy of \< 12 months
    * Progressed during platinum-based therapy
    * Persistent disease after a platinum-based regimen
* Not eligible for a higher priority Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) protocol, if one exists

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* GOG performance status 0-2
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* No active infection requiring antibiotics
* No other invasive malignancies within the past 5 years, except non-melanoma skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy
* No prior cancer treatment that would preclude protocol therapy
* No prior radiotherapy to any portion of the abdominal cavity or pelvis unless for treatment of ovarian cancer

  * Prior radiotherapy for localized cancer of the breast, head and neck, or skin is permitted, provided it was completed \> 3 years prior to study entry and no recurrent or metastatic disease exists
* No prior chemotherapy to any portion of the abdominal cavity or pelvis unless for treatment of ovarian cancer

  * Prior chemotherapy for localized cancer of the breast is permitted, provided it was completed \> 3 years prior to study entry and no recurrent or metastatic disease exists
* At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy directed at the malignant tumor
* At least 2 weeks since other prior hormonal therapy (e.g., testosterone, estrogen, progestin, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonists)
* At least 3 weeks since other prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor, including biological or immunologic agents
* One prior cytotoxic regimen (defined as any agent that targets the genetic and/or mitotic apparatus of dividing cells, resulting in dose-limiting toxicity to the bone marrow and/or gastrointestinal mucosa) for management of recurrent or persistent disease allowed
* No prior non-cytotoxic therapy for management of recurrent or persistent ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal carcinoma
* No prior mifepristone