Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed ovarian epithelial, primary peritoneal, or
fallopian tube cancer

- Progressive, persistent, or recurrent disease

- Measurable disease outside prior radiotherapy field unless disease progression
occurred after radiotherapy

- Tumor lesions accessible for biopsy

- Patients with a medical contraindication to tumor biopsy may be allowed at the
discretion of the principal investigator

- No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens

- At least 1 regimen must have contained a platinum agent (i.e., carboplatin or
cisplatin)

- No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- ECOG 0-2 OR

- Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy

- More than 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

- WBC at least 3,000/mm^3

- Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

- Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN)

- AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN

Renal

- Creatinine no greater than ULN OR

- Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular

- No history of coronary artery disease

- No symptomatic cardiac dysfunction

- No cardiac pathology by electrocardiogram* NOTE: *Patients with symptomatic coronary
artery disease must undergo an electrocardiogram

Pulmonary

- No symptomatic pulmonary dysfunction

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 8 weeks
after study participation

- No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological
composition to UCN-01 or other study agents

- No insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

- Diabetes controlled by diet or oral hypoglycemic agents allowed at the
discretion of the investigator

- No other concurrent uncontrolled illness

- No ongoing or active infection

- No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- More than 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy and recovered

Chemotherapy

- See Disease Characterisitcs

- More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
and recovered

- No prior topotecan

- No other prior topoisomerase I inhibitors

Endocrine therapy

- More than 4 weeks since prior hormonal therapy and recovered

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

- No prior radiotherapy to more than 40% of bone marrow

- No prior mediastinal irradiation

Surgery

- More than 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered

Other

- No other concurrent anticancer therapy

- No other concurrent investigational agents

- No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients