Inclusion Criteria:

- Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cavity cancer

- Recurrent or persistent disease

- Disease progression during OR persistent disease after completion of 1 prior
platinum-based chemotherapy regimen (containing carboplatin, cisplatin, or other
organoplatinum compound) for primary disease

- Initial treatment may have included high-dose, consolidation, noncytotoxic
agents, or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical
assessment

- Treatment-free interval after completion of platinum-based chemotherapy
must have been < 12 months

- Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable target* lesion ≥ 20 mm
by conventional techniques (e.g., palpation, plain x-ray, CT scan, or MRI) OR ≥ 10 mm
by spiral CT scan

- Not eligible for a higher priority GOG protocol (i.e., any active phase III GOG
protocol for the same patient population)

- No known brain metastases

- Performance status - GOG 0-1

- Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

- Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

- No symptomatic congestive heart failure

- No unstable angina pectoris

- No cardiac arrhythmia

- Able to take oral medication

- No bowel obstruction

- No persistent vomiting

- No parenteral feeding

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 1 month after
completion of study treatment

- No neuropathy (sensory and motor) > grade 1

- No other invasive malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer

- No active infection requiring antibiotics

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

- No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or
biological composition to vorinostat

- No other uncontrolled illness

- At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy for the malignancy

- At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) for
the malignancy and recovered

- No more than 2 prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens for recurrent or persistent
disease

- No prior non-cytotoxic chemotherapy for recurrent or persistent disease, unless
therapy was part of the primary treatment regimen

- No prior vorinostat

- At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy for the malignancy

- Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy for the malignancy and recovered

- No prior radiotherapy to > 25% of bone marrow

- At least 4 weeks since prior surgery for the malignancy and recovered

- At least 4 weeks since other prior therapy for the malignancy

- At least 30 days since prior and no concurrent valproic acid

- Concurrent oral anticoagulants (i.e., warfarin) allowed provided there is increased
vigilance with respect to monitoring PT/INR for the first 2 courses of study therapy
or if there are any signs of bleeding

- No prior anticancer therapy that would preclude study participation

- No concurrent combination anti-retroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients

- No other concurrent investigational agents