Erlotinib or Observation in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone First-Line Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer, Peritoneal Cancer, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer meeting 1 of the following criteria:
• •* High-risk stage I disease, as defined by grade 3, aneuploid grade 1 or 2, or clear cell disease
• •* Stage II, III, or IV disease
• •Completed first-line therapy within the past 6 weeks
• •* Received a platinum derivative (carboplatin or cisplatin) alone or in combination with other agents for 6-9 courses
• •* Must have achieved complete response/no evidence of disease, partial response, or stabilization of disease after therapy
• •No adenocarcinoma of unknown origin
• •No known brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Performance status
• •ECOG 0-1
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• •WBC ≥ 2,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic
• •AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (≤ 5 times ULN in patients with known liver metastases)
• •Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• •Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN except in patients with known bone metastases
• •PT and PTT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• •Renal
• •Creatinine ≤ 2 times ULN
• •Cardiovascular
• •No myocardial infarction within past 6 months
• •No second- or third-degree heart block without pacemaker
• •Gastrointestinal
• •No active peptic ulcer disease
• •No gastrointestinal tract disease that would interfere with ability to take oral medications, affect absorption, or require parenteral nutrition
• •No uncontrolled inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No significant dermatologic disease
• •No inflammatory changes to the surface of the eye
• •No history of allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical composition as erlotinib
• •No other significant medical condition or neurologic or psychiatric disorder
• •No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or cone-biopsied carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• •No psychiatric illness or familial, geographic, or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •No prior therapy targeting epidermal growth factor receptor
• •No concurrent immunotherapy
• •Chemotherapy
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •See Surgery
• •No concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy
• •No concurrent hormonal therapy
• •Radiotherapy
• •No prior radiotherapy unless completed more than 5 years ago AND outside the abdomen/pelvis
• •Surgery
• •Interval debulking surgery after 3 courses of chemotherapy and second-look surgery at the end of chemotherapy allowed as per study EORTC-55971/NCIC OV13/Chorus
• •Other
• •No other prior or concurrent investigational agents
• •No other concurrent anticancer treatment
• •Concurrent participation in study EORTC-55971/NCIC-OV13/Chorus allowed