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