OBJECTIVES:~I. Determine the response rate, time to progression, and survival of patients with recurrent advanced ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cavity cancer treated with gemcitabine hydrochloride and 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) (tanespimycin).~II. Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients. III. Correlate the effect of 17-AAG alone on chaperone and client proteins in tumor samples and peripheral blood mononuclear cells with response, time to progression, and survival of these patients.~OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to gemcitabine hydrochloride therapy (gemcitabine hydrochloride-naive/no prior exposure to gemcitabine hydrochloride vs gemcitabine hydrochloride-resistant/prior exposure to gemcitabine hydrochloride as a single agent with disease progression while on treatment). Patients receive tanespimycin intravenously (IV) over 2 hours on days 1 and 8 during course 1 and days 2 and 9 during subsequent courses and gemcitabine hydrochloride IV over 30 minutes on day 7 during course 1 and days 1 and 8 during subsequent courses. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months until disease progression and then every 6 months for up to 5 years.
Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of gemcitabine hydrochloride and tanespimycin in treating patients who have recurrent advanced ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cavity cancer. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine hydrochloride and tanespimycin, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die.