S0025 Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Refractory Ovarian Epithelial, Primary Peritoneal, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or pathologically confirmed ovarian epithelial, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer * No mixed mullerian and borderline ovarian tumors * Surgically staged as stage III or IV at initial diagnosis * Must meet one of the following criteria for refractory/relapsed disease: * Relapsed within 6 months after completing front-line concurrent or sequential platinum (either cisplatin or carboplatin) and taxane (paclitaxel or docetaxel) chemotherapy * Had a best response of increasing disease during this front-line regimen * Consolidation chemotherapy and reinduction therapy are counted as part of the front-line regimen * Unidimensionally measurable disease * At least 2 cm by medical photograph (skin or oral lesion), palpation, plain x-ray, CT scan, MRI, or other conventional technique (bone lesions not included) * At least 1 cm by spiral CT scan * Measurable disease must remain outside of radiotherapy field * If the tumor is known to be KIT (CD117) or PDGFR positive, patient must be offered SWOG-S0211 if available PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * Not specified Performance status * Zubrod 0-2 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Not specified Hepatic * Not specified Renal * Not specified Cardiovascular * No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * No angina pectoris * No uncontrolled congestive heart failure * No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No other malignancy within the past 5 years except for the following: * Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer * Carcinoma in situ of the cervix * Adequately treated stage I or II cancer from which the patient is currently in complete remission PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No more than 1 prior biological response modifier * At least 28 days since prior biological response modifier and recovered Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * No prior topotecan or other topoisomerase I inhibitor * One other additional prior chemotherapy regimen allowed * At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy (14 days for weekly chemotherapy) and recovered Endocrine therapy * Prior hormonal therapy allowed * No concurrent hormonal therapy Radiotherapy * At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered * No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of bone marrow * No concurrent palliative radiotherapy Surgery * At least 14 days since prior major surgery and recovered Other * At least 28 days since prior investigational drugs and recovered * No other concurrent antitumor therapy