Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Stage IC-IV Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer* Stage IC-IV disease Peritoneal carcinomatosis* (ovarian-type) must not be a mucin-secreting tumor Stage IC patients must have malignant cells in ascitic fluid or peritoneal washings, tumor on the surface of the ovary, or preoperative capsule rupture NOTE: * Histologic confirmation of a primary source in the ovary is not required. If biospy is not available, cytology showing an adenocarcinoma is allowed provided the following criteria is met: Patient has a pelvis (ovarian) mass AND all of the following: Omental cake or other metastasis is larger than 2 cm in the upper abdomen and/or regional lymph node metastasis irrespective of size OR stage IV disease Serum CA 125/CEA ratio > 25 or barium enema (or colonoscopy) and gastroscopy (or radiological examination of the stomach) are negative for the presence of a primary tumor and normal mammography within 6 weeks prior to study randomization Initial cytoreductive laparotomy or biopsy required within the past 8 weeks Cytoreductive surgery may or may not have been successful during staging laparotomy No mixed mesodermal tumors No borderline ovarian tumors or tumors termed "possibly malignant" No adenocarcinoma of unknown origin, if histologically confirmed to be a mucin-secreting tumor Considered unsuitable for or unwilling to receive platinum-taxane combination therapy No concurrent endometrial cancer PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status ECOG 0-3 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic Bilirubin normal AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN Renal Creatinine clearance ≥ 30 mL/min Obstructive hydronephrosis as a cause of borderline (i.e., creatinine clearance 30-45 mL/min) renal function must be treated before study entry Cardiovascular No hypertension No ischemic heart disease No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months No congestive heart failure Other Not pregnant or nursing Fertile patients must use effective contraception No symptomatic peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 No uncontrolled infection No other severe and/or uncontrolled medical condition No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell skin cancer PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy No other concurrent cytotoxic chemotherapy until progressive disease occurs Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy Surgery See Disease Characteristics