Tamoxifen Compared With Thalidomide in Treating Women With Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically confirmed stage III or IV ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer that was treated with only 1 prior first-line chemotherapy regimen (platinum/taxane-based) * Clinically and radiologically without evidence of measurable and nonmeasurable disease * Symptomatic ascites and pleural effusions are considered nonmeasurable disease * Must have a biochemical recurrence * CA 125 must have been normal prior to or normalized during first-line therapy and then subsequently rose to exceed twice the upper limit of normal * Patients entering study with a CA 125 level less than 100 U/mL must be confirmed a second time within a period of not more than 4 weeks * Patients with a CA 125 level of at least 100 U/mL may be entered without confirmatory measurement * Ineligible for a higher priority Gynecologic Oncology Group protocol (if one exists) * No history of brain metastases * Performance status - GOG 0-1 * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * SGOT no greater than 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN * Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min * No history of deep venous thrombosis * No prior cerebrovascular accident * No history of pulmonary embolism * No significant infection * No grade 2 or greater sensory or motor neuropathy * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use at least 1 highly active method and at least 1 additional effective method of contraception for 4 weeks before, during, and for 4 weeks after study participation * No prior immunotherapy (e.g., interleukins) * No prior biological response modifiers (e.g., monoclonal antibodies) * No prior antiangiogenic agents (e.g., carbonic anhydrase inhibitors) * At least 3 weeks since prior anticancer chemotherapy and recovered * No prior or concurrent tamoxifen or other selective estrogen receptor modulators * At least 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent hormones (e.g., estrogen or progesterone) * At least 3 weeks since prior anticancer radiotherapy and recovered * At least 3 weeks since prior anticancer surgery and recovered * Prior second-look surgery without cytoreduction allowed * At least 3 weeks since other prior anticancer therapy and recovered * No prior interval cytoreduction * No concurrent full-dose therapeutic anticoagulation * No concurrent antiseizure medications for seizure disorder * No concurrent bisphosphonates (e.g., zoledronate)