Interleukin-12 in Treating Patients With Refractory Advanced-Stage Ovarian Cancer or Abdominal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed intraabdominal cancer * Diffuse abdominal carcinomatosis Chemotherapy refractory advanced stage ovarian cancer * Measurable disease * Residual, recurrent, or metastatic disease beyond the scope of standard curative therapy * Extension of disease to sites distant to the peritoneal cavity allowed Retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy allowed as long as there is evaluable intraabdominal disease * No history of progressive brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Age: 18 and over * Performance status: Karnofsky 70-100% * Hemoglobin greater than 9 g/dL * WBC greater than 3,000/mm3 * Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 * Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL * ALT less than 100 U/L * Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min * Normal electrocardiogram * No recent history of cardiac ischemia * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Hepatitis B negative * No evidence of clinical immunodeficiency syndromes or immunodeficiency associated diseases * No history of autoimmune disease * No concurrent major illness * No serious infection requiring intravenous antibiotics * No active peptic ulcer disease * Must have free flow of fluid into the peritoneal space * No leakage from the catheter exit site PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * At least 3 weeks since prior biologic therapy (6 weeks for interleukin-2) * No prior recombinant human interleukin-12 * At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) * No concurrent systemic chemotherapy * No concurrent systemic corticosteroids * No prior radiation therapy to the whole abdomen * No concurrent radiotherapy * At least 3 weeks since prior exposure to any investigational drug * No concurrent investigational drug