A6 in Treating Patients With Persistent or Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed persistent or recurrent ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal carcinoma, including any of the following epithelial cell types:

  • Serous adenocarcinoma
  • Endometrioid adenocarcinoma
  • Mucinous adenocarcinoma
  • Undifferentiated carcinoma
  • Clear cell adenocarcinoma
  • Mixed epithelial carcinoma
  • Transitional cell carcinoma
  • Malignant Brenner tumor
  • Adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified
• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 lesion that can be accurately measured in ≥ 1 dimension as ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques or ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan

• Must have ≥ 1 target lesion to assess response as defined by RECIST criteria

  • Tumors within a previously irradiated field are designated as "non-target" lesions unless progression is documented or a biopsy is obtained to confirm persistence of disease ≥ 90 days following completion of radiotherapy
• Must not be eligible for a higher priority GOG clinical trial, if one exists (i.e., any active GOG Phase III clinical trial for the same patient population)

• Must have received 1 prior platinum-based chemotherapeutic regimen containing carboplatin, cisplatin, or another organoplatinum compound for management of primary disease

  • Initial treatment may have included high-dose therapy, consolidation therapy, non-cytotoxic therapy, or extended therapy administered after surgical or non-surgical assessment
  • One additional cytotoxic regimen for management of recurrent or persistent disease allowed
  • Patients who have received only one prior cytotoxic regimen (platinum-based regimen for management of primary disease) must have a platinum-free interval of < 12 months, have progressed during platinum-based therapy, or have persistent disease after a platinum-based therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• GOG performance status 0-2 (for patients who received 1 prior regimen) OR 0-1 (for patients who received 2 prior regimens)
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• 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
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Able and willing to self-administer daily subcutaneous (SC) injections or has a caregiver who is willing and able to administer daily SC injections
• No active infection requiring antibiotics, except uncomplicated urinary tract infection
• No neuropathy (sensory and motor) > grade 2, according to CTCAE v3.0
• No other invasive malignancies within the past 5 years, except for non-melanoma skin cancer
• No history of sensitivity to A6
• No active gastrointestinal bleeding within the past month
• No other disease that, in the opinion of the investigator, could jeopardize patient safety or interfere with study objectives

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy

• No prior non-cytotoxic therapy for management of recurrent or persistent disease

  • Prior biologic (non-cytotoxic) therapy as part of primary treatment regimen allowed
• At least 1 week since prior hormonal therapy directed at the malignant tumor
• At least 3 weeks since any other prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor, including immunological agents
• More than 2 weeks since prior major surgical procedure
• More than 5 years since prior radiotherapy to any portion of the abdominal cavity or pelvis other than for the treatment of ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer

• More than 3 years since prior radiotherapy for localized cancer of the breast, head and neck, or skin AND remains free of recurrent or metastatic disease

  • Patients with ductal breast carcinoma in situ may have undergone localized radiotherapy within the past 3 years
• More than 5 years since prior chemotherapy for any abdominal or pelvic tumor other than for the treatment of ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer
• More than 3 years since prior adjuvant chemotherapy for localized breast cancer AND remains free of recurrent or metastatic disease
• More than 30 days since prior investigational drugs
• No prior A6
• No prior radiotherapy to > 25% of marrow-bearing areas
• No prior cancer treatment that would contraindicate study therapy
• No concurrent amifostine or other protective reagents