DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Surgically debulked stage III or IV ovarian epithelial cancer Must be able to obtain adequate number of viable cells from excised tumor mass Must have received 6 courses of combination chemotherapy comprised of either paclitaxel and cisplatin OR paclitaxel and carboplatin Must be clinically tumor free following completion of chemotherapy (i.e., no metastasis by physical examination and CT of the abdomen and pelvis and serum CA-125 less than 35 IU/L) Not on a Phase III GOG protocol