Carboplatin With or Without Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Advanced Ovarian Epithelial Cancer That Has Not Responded to Previous Chemotherapy

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial carcinoma not amenable to curative surgery or radiotherapy
• * Evidence of recurrence or progression 6 months after discontinuation of prior first-line platinum-containing regimen
• No tumor of borderline malignancy
• Evaluable disease outside previously irradiated area
• No CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3
• Hepatic:
• Not specified
• Renal:
• Glomerular filtration rate greater than 50 mL/min
• Other:
• No concurrent active infection
• No other primary malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or adequately treated basal cell skin cancer
• No other concurrent serious systemic disorder
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No more than 1 prior platinum-based chemotherapy regimen
• No prior gemcitabine
• No other concurrent cytotoxic or antineoplastic treatment
• Endocrine therapy:
• At least 3 weeks since prior hormonal therapy
• Concurrent hormone replacement therapy allowed
• Concurrent steroid antiemetics allowed
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy (limited to the small pelvis)
• Concurrent palliative radiotherapy to nontarget lesions allowed
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other:
• At least 3 weeks since other prior investigational agents