Inclusion Criteria

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