DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed stage III ovarian epithelial or primary peritoneal cancer with residual disease no greater than 2 cm following cytoreductive surgery The following cell types are eligible: Serous adenocarcinoma, mucinous adenocarcinoma, clear cell adenocarcinoma, transitional cell, adenocarcinoma NOS, endometrioid adenocarcinoma, mixed epithelial carcinoma, or peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma Total abdominal hysterectomy with salpingo-oophorectomy or supracervical hysterectomy, omentectomy, tumor reduction, lymph node assessment, and debulking if nodes 2 cm or greater No endometrial malignancy treated with supracervical hysterectomy No cytologically positive pleural effusion No tumors of borderline histology No cancer of the fallopian tubes