DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed stage III or IV ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal carcinoma Prior surgery required within the past 12 weeks Either optimal (no greater than 1 cm residual disease) or suboptimal residual disease following initial surgery No ovarian epithelial tumors of low malignant potential (borderline tumor) The following histologic epithelial cell types are eligible: Serous adenocarcinoma Mucinous adenocarcinoma Clear cell adenocarcinoma Transitional cell carcinoma Adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified Endometrioid adenocarcinoma Undifferentiated carcinoma Mixed epithelial carcinoma Malignant Brenner tumor