RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug and giving drugs in different ways may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether intravenous two-drug combination chemotherapy is more effective than intravenous and intraperitoneal infusions of three-drug combination chemotherapy for treating primary peritoneal or stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of intravenous two-drug combination chemotherapy with intravenous and intraperitoneal three-drug combination chemotherapy in treating patients who have primary peritoneal or stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVES: I. Compare pathological response, recurrence-free interval, and survival in patients with optimal stage III epithelial ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma receiving intravenous (IV) paclitaxel and cisplatin vs IV paclitaxel and intraperitoneal (IP) cisplatin plus IP paclitaxel. II. Compare the toxic effects and complications of these 2 treatment regimens in these patients. III. Determine the frequency and prognostic significance of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in these patients. IV. Determine the effect of non-genetic risk factors on the course of disease in BRCA1- and BRCA2-related ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma. V. Compare the quality of life of these patients receiving these treatments.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are stratified according to gross residual disease (present vs absent) and whether second-look surgery will be performed at the end of treatment (yes vs no). Blood is drawn for BRCA mutation analysis and DNA extraction before the start of chemotherapy, but after randomization. Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Patients in arm I receive IV paclitaxel by 24-hour infusion on day 1 followed by IV cisplatin on day 2. Patients in arm II receive IV paclitaxel by 24-hour infusion on day 1 followed by intraperitoneal (IP) cisplatin on day 2, plus IP paclitaxel on day 8. Treatment for both arms repeats every 3 weeks for a total of 6 treatment courses. Following chemotherapy, second look surgery is performed if selected by the patient. Quality-of-life assessments are performed prior to randomization, prior to course 4, 3-6 weeks after the completion of course 6 and prior to second look surgery if selected, 6 months after treatment is completed, and 12 months after treatment is completed. Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 384 patients will be accrued for this study within 16 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven primary peritoneal carcinoma or optimal (no greater than 1 cm residual disease) stage III epithelial ovarian carcinoma with the following epithelial cell types: Serous adenocarcinoma Endometrioid adenocarcinoma Mucinous adenocarcinoma Undifferentiated carcinoma Clear cell adenocarcinoma Mixed epithelial carcinoma Transitional cell carcinoma Malignant Brenner's Tumor Adenocarcinoma NOS Prior surgery for ovarian/peritoneal carcinoma required No epithelial ovarian carcinoma of low malignant potential (borderline carcinoma)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: Not specified Performance status: GOG 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC at least 3,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal SGOT no greater than 3 times normal Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times normal No acute hepatitis Renal: Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular: No unstable angina No myocardial infarction within prior 6 months Patients with abnormal cardiac conduction are eligible if disease stable for at least 6 months Other: No septicemia or severe infection No severe gastrointestinal bleeding No other invasive malignancy within past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer Any previous cancer treatment must not contraindicate this protocol therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No prior radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics No more than 6 weeks since prior surgery