DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed ovarian epithelial, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cavity cancer

  • Persistent, recurrent, or refractory to initial therapy
  • Advanced disease

• Measurable or evaluable disease, as defined by 1 of the following:

  • At least 1 lesion measured in at least 1 dimension as ≥ 20 mm with conventional techniques or as ≥ 10 mm with spiral CT scan
  • Evidence of progression based on an elevated CA-125 (defined as a value of ≥ 2 times upper limit of normal [ULN] documented on two separate determinations made > 2 weeks apart) if the physical exam is normal and CT scan has a disease volume < 1 cm in maximum diameter
• No borderline tumors or tumors of low malignant potential

• Patients must have received platinum-based chemotherapy prior to study entry

  • No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen (i.e., initial first-line chemotherapy only)
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2
• Karnofsky PS > 60-100%
• Life expectancy > 12 weeks
• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL
• Bilirubin normal
• ALT and AST ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No bowel obstruction
• No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to AZD2171
• Mean QTc ≤ 470 msec (with Bazett's correction)
• No history of familial long QT syndrome
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements
• No uncontrolled illness
• No HIV-positive patients on combination antiretroviral therapy
• No greater that +1 proteinuria on 2 consecutive dipsticks taken no less than 1 week apart
• No significant abnormality as seen by ECG within 14 days of treatment

• No New York Heart Associated class III or IV disease

  • Class II disease controlled with treatment and increased monitoring is allowed
• No hypertension
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C), radiotherapy, or major surgery
• No concurrent drugs or biologic agents with proarrhythmic potential
• No other investigational agents or participation in an investigational trial within 30 days prior to study entry
• No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies