EGEN-001 in Treating Patients With Persistent or Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must have recurrent or persistent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinoma; histologic documentation of the original primary tumor is required via the pathology report * All patients must have measurable disease as defined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1; measurable disease is defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded); each lesion must be \>= 10 mm when measured by computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or caliper measurement by clinical exam; or \>= 20 mm when measured by chest x-ray; lymph nodes must be \>= 15 mm in short axis when measured by CT or MRI; patients must have evidence of intra-abdominal/pelvic disease; patients with disease exclusively located outside of the abdominal/pelvic cavity are not eligible * Patient must have at least one "target lesion" to be used to assess response on this protocol as defined by RECIST 1.1; tumors within a previously irradiated field will be designated as "non-target" lesions unless progression is documented or a biopsy is obtained to confirm persistence at least 90 days following completion of radiation therapy * Patients must not be eligible for a higher priority Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) protocol, if one exists; in general, this would refer to any active GOG phase III protocol for the same patient population * Patients who have received one prior regimen must have a GOG performance status of 0, 1, or 2 * Patients who have received two prior regimens must have a GOG performance status of 0 or 1 * Recovery from effects of recent surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy: * Patients should be free of active infection requiring antibiotics (with the exception of uncomplicated urinary tract infection \[UTI\]) * Any hormonal therapy directed at the malignant tumor must be discontinued at least one week prior to registration; continuation of hormone replacement therapy is permitted * Any other prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor, including chemotherapy, biologic/targeted therapy and immunologic agents, must be discontinued at least three weeks prior to registration * Patients must have had one prior platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimen for management of primary disease containing carboplatin, cisplatin, or another organoplatinum compound; this initial treatment may have included intraperitoneal therapy, consolidation, non-cytotoxic agents or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment * Patients who have received only one prior cytotoxic regimen (platinum-based regimen for management of primary disease), must have a platinum-free interval of less than 12 months, or have progressed during platinum-based therapy, or have persistent disease after a platinum-based therapy * Patients are allowed to receive, but are not required to receive, one additional cytotoxic regimen for management of recurrent or persistent disease according to the following definition: * Cytotoxic regimens include any agent that targets the genetic and/or mitotic apparatus of dividing cells, resulting in dose-limiting toxicity to the bone marrow and/or gastrointestinal mucosa * Note: patients on this non-cytotoxic study are allowed to receive additional cytotoxic chemotherapy for management of recurrent or persistent disease, as defined above; however, due to the novel nature of biologic compounds, patients are encouraged to enroll on second-line non-cytotoxic studies prior to receiving additional cytotoxic therapy * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) greater or equal to 1,500/mcl * Platelet count greater or equal to 100,000/mcl * Creatinine less than or equal to 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) OR calculated creatinine clearance greater than or equal to 50 mL/min; any evidence of renal obstruction must be corrected prior to treatment * Bilirubin less than or equal to 1.5 x ULN * Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) aspartate aminotransferase (AST) less than or equal to 3 x ULN * Alkaline phosphatase less than or equal to 2.5 x ULN * Neuropathy (sensory or motor) less than or equal to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade 1 * Patients must have signed an approved informed consent and authorization permitting release of personal health information * Patients must meet pre-entry requirements * Patients of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test prior to the study entry and be practicing an effective form of contraception Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have had previous treatment with EGEN-001 * Patients with a history of other invasive malignancies, with the exception of non-melanoma skin cancer and other specific malignancies as noted above are excluded if there is any evidence of other malignancy being present within the last three years; patients are also excluded if their previous cancer treatment contraindicates this protocol therapy * Patients who have received prior radiotherapy to any portion of the abdominal cavity or pelvis OTHER THAN for the treatment of ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer within the last three years are excluded; prior radiation for localized cancer of the breast, head and neck, or skin is permitted, provided that it was completed more than three years prior to registration, and the patient remains free of recurrent or metastatic disease * Patients who have received prior chemotherapy for any abdominal or pelvic tumor OTHER THAN for the treatment of ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer within the last three years are excluded; patients may have received prior adjuvant chemotherapy for localized breast cancer, provided that it was completed more than three years prior to registration, and that the patient remains free of recurrent or metastatic disease * Patients with a past history of primary endometrial cancer are excluded unless all of the following conditions are met: stage not greater than I-B; no more than superficial myometrial invasion, without vascular or lymphatic invasion; no poorly differentiated subtypes, including papillary serous, clear cell or other International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) grade 3 lesions * Patients with a serious uncontrolled medical illness or disorder, abdominal surgery (for reasons other than IP port placement) or active infection within four weeks of study entry; patients may have surgery for the purpose of IP port placement greater than or equal to one week(s) before study entry and treatment * Patients with any condition/anomaly that would interfere with the appropriate placement of the IP catheter for study drug administration including: abdominal surgery within 4 weeks of study entry (for reasons other than IP port placement), intestinal dysfunction or suspected extensive adhesions from prior history or finding at laparoscopy * Patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding