Effect of Acetylcysteine With Topotecan Hydrochloride on the Tumor Microenvironment in Patients With Persistent or Recurrent High Grade Ovarian, Primary Peritoneal, or Fallopian Tube Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To estimate the proportion of subjects with persistent or recurrent high grade endometrioid or serous ovarian carcinoma who demonstrate a downregulation of monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) in the ovarian stroma in response to exposure to topotecan (topotecan hydrochloride) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) (acetylcysteine) as compared to topotecan alone. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the expression levels of caveolin 1 (Cav-1), solute carrier family 16 (monocarboxylate transporter), member 1 (MCT1), translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20 homolog (yeast) (TOMM20), fatty acid binding protein 4, adipocyte (FABP4), hypoxia inducible factor 1, alpha subunit (HIF-1 alpha) and NF kappaB activating protein (NFκB) in pathological samples of tumors after therapy with NAC relative to samples taken at time of initial diagnosis. II. To assess the potential impact of NAC on progression free survival, overall survival, objective tumor response- complete or partial, and duration of response. III. To estimate the proportion of subjects who survive progression free for at least 6 months and the proportion of patients who have objective tumor response, complete or partial in response to therapy IV. To assess safety and tolerability of NAC plus topotecan treatment in subjects with endometrioid or serous ovarian carcinoma by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version (v)4.0 criteria. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Patients receive topotecan hydrochloride intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15 (+/- 1 day window for each treatment day). Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM II: Patients receive topotecan hydrochloride as in Arm I. Patients also receive acetylcysteine IV over 60 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22 (+/- 1 day window for each treatment day) and acetylcysteine orally (PO) twice daily (BID) on days 2-7, 9-14, 16-21, and 23-28, unless administration window was utilized. Courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 24 months.