Gemcitabine and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Persistent or Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Primary Peritoneal Cancer, or Fallopian Tube Cancer That Responded to Previous Cisplatin or Carboplatin

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, or fallopian tube cancer * Persistent or recurrent disease * Nonmeasurable disease * Platinum-sensitive disease * Must have attained a clinically defined complete response after prior platinum- (cisplatin or carboplatin) and taxane-based combination chemotherapy regimen * Patients with partial response or disease progression after first-line therapy are not eligible * No disease recurrence within 6 months after completion of first-line platinum-taxane therapy * Must have undergone laparoscopy or laparotomy for either of the following: * Second-look surgery after a complete response to first-line therapy * No negative second-look surgery * Secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent disease ≥ 6 months after completion of first-line chemotherapy * No greater than 1 cm residual disease at the completion of laparoscopy or laparotomy AND no diffuse carcinomatosis * Disease must be confined to the peritoneal cavity * Retroperitoneal disease ≤ 1 cm at the completion of prior surgery allowed * Not a candidate for a higher priority GOG protocol * No tumors of low malignant potential PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * GOG performance status 0-2 * 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 * SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Neuropathy (sensory and motor) ≤ grade 1 * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No active infection requiring antibiotics * No other invasive malignancies within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer * No extensive intra-abdominal adhesions PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * Recovered from prior surgery or chemotherapy * No prior intraperitoneal therapy * No prior gemcitabine hydrochloride * No more than 1 prior regimen (including consolidation chemotherapy) for ovarian epithelial cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, or fallopian tube cancer * No radiotherapy to \> 25% of marrow-bearing areas * No prior abdominal-pelvic radiotherapy * No prior cancer treatment that would preclude study therapy * No other prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor, including biological agents (unless this was part of front-line therapy), immunologic agents, vaccines, second-line chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy * Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed * No concurrent amifostine or other protective reagents