Docetaxel and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Relapsed Stage III or Stage IV Ovarian Epithelial or Primary Peritoneal Cavity Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cavity cancer

  • Stage III or IV disease
  • No borderline tumors

• Measurable or evaluable disease

  • Measurable disease, defined as evidence of disease by physical examination or radiographic evaluation
  • Evaluable disease, defined as CA 125 ≥ 100 U/mL (confirmed by 2 blood tests performed ≥ 1 week apart)

• In first relapse

  • Platinum-sensitive disease, defined as initial relapse > 6 months after completion of a platinum-based regimen

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • SGOT and/or SGPT ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AND alkaline phosphatase (AP) ≤ 2.5 times ULN
  • SGOT and/or SGPT ≤ 5.0 times ULN AND AP normal

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance > 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular

• LVEF ≥ 50%
• No poorly controlled arrhythmia
• No unstable coronary artery disease or myocardial infarction within the past year

Other

• HIV negative
• No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy > grade 2
• No history of allergy to study drugs

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

• Recovered from recent prior surgery

Other

• No concurrent myelosuppressive therapy