DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed stage III or IV ovarian epithelial carcinoma including the following cellular diagnoses: Serous adenocarcinoma Mucinous adenocarcinoma Endometrioid adenocarcinoma Clear cell adenocarcinoma Undifferentiated carcinoma Mixed epithelial carcinoma Transitional cell carcinoma Malignant Brenner's Tumor Stage III (optimal or suboptimal) must be surgically reassessed OR Stage III (suboptimal) or stage IV clinically reassessed after induction chemotherapy For stage III surgical reassessment: No more than 12 weeks between end of chemotherapy and reassessment surgery AND No more than 6 weeks between reassessment surgery and randomization Patients treated on protocol GOG-158 are eligible At least a partial response to chemotherapy as defined as: Microscopic disease documented at reassessment surgery for patients optimally debulked (disease no greater than 1 cm) after primary surgery Suboptimally debulked disease (greater than 1 cm) after primary surgery and 1 of the following: Negative reassessment laparotomy Only microscopic disease at reassessment surgery Gross residual disease no greater than 1 cm at reassessment surgery prior to debulking Clinical complete response to induction chemotherapy including: - suboptimal disease Stage III or IV AND - either an abnormal CT or elevated CA-125 prior to induction chemotherapy and both are within normal limits following induction chemotherapy