RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood and tumor tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict how well patients will respond to treatment.

PURPOSE: This research study is looking at biomarkers in predicting response in patients with advanced ovarian epithelial cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal cancer.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• To evaluate ERCC1 tumor expression, as measured by IHC, as a predictor of progression-free and overall survival of patients with advanced ovarian epithelial cancer.

Secondary

• To correlate ERCC1 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (C8092A and codon 118) with ERCC1 tumor expression.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study.

Blood and paraffin-embedded tumor tissue samples are analyzed for ERCC1 tumor expression by IHC and single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed advanced invasive ovarian epithelial carcinoma, fallopian tube adenocarcinoma, or primary peritoneal carcinoma
• Has undergone optimal surgical staging
• Has received chemotherapy on either GOG-0172 or GOG-0182
• Adequate blood or DNA available for ERCC1 analysis
• Adequate tumor on paraffin-embedded tissue for IHC staining

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics