Carboplatin Plus Paclitaxel With or Without Continued Low-Dose Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed ovarian epithelial cancer of one of the following histologic cell types: * Serous adenocarcinoma * Malignant Brenner's tumor * Mucinous adenocarcinoma * Endometrioid * Adenocarcinoma * Clear cell adenocarcinoma * Undifferentiated carcinoma * Transitional cell * Mixed epithelial carcinoma * Adenocarcinoma - not otherwise specified * Meets 1 of the following criteria: * Stage Ia or Ib, grade 3 or clear cell * Stage Ic or II, all grades/histologies * Complete surgical staging * No tumors of low malignant potential (borderline tumors) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: * Not specified Performance status: * GOG 0-3 Life expectancy: * Not specified Hematopoietic: * WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic: * Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times normal * Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times normal * SGOT no greater than 3 times normal Renal: * Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Other: * No other invasive malignancies within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer * No major systemic medical illness expected to affect survival * Body surface area no greater than 2.0 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: * Not specified Chemotherapy: * Not specified Endocrine therapy: * Not specified Radiotherapy: * Not specified Surgery: * See Disease Characteristics Other: * No prior treatment for this malignancy except surgical staging * No pri…