Fenretinide in Preventing Ovarian Cancer in Participants Who Are at High Risk for Developing Ovarian Cancer and Planning to Undergo Surgery to Remove the Ovaries

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* At high risk for developing ovarian cancer, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Family history of ovarian cancer, defined as ≥ 1 first-degree relative diagnosed with ovarian cancer before 50 years of age
  * Family history of ovarian cancer, defined as ≥ 1 first-degree relative diagnosed with ovarian cancer at any age AND ≥ 1 first- or second-degree relative diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer at any age
  * Positive BRCA1/BRCA2 test
* Planning to undergo prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 30 and over

Performance status

* Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy

* At least 12 months

Hematopoietic

* Not specified

Hepatic

* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* No history of liver disease\*
* No cholestatic jaundice
* No hepatic adenomas NOTE: \*For patients undergoing contrast enhanced ultrasound

Renal

* BUN normal
* Creatinine normal

Cardiovascular

* No history of a congenital heart defect creating a bi-directional or right-to-left shunt\*
* No history of congestive heart failure\*
* No thrombophlebitis
* No thromboembolic disease
* No cerebral vascular disease
* No coronary artery disease NOTE: \*For patients undergoing contrast enhanced ultrasound

Pulmonary

* No history of pulmonary hypertension\*
* No history of pulmonary emboli\*
* No history of severe emphysema\* NOTE: \*For patients undergoing contrast enhanced ultrasound

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception
* Thyroid stimulating hormone normal
* T4 normal
* Triglycerides ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* No malignancy within the past 5 years except breast cancer or basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer

  * No evidence of recurrent disease
* No known or suspected hypersensitivity to blood, blood products, or albumin
* No undiagnosed genital bleeding
* No history of pancreatitis
* No uncontrolled diabetes
* No other severe underlying chronic disease
* No concurrent alcohol use (\> 3 drinks/day or equivalent)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* Not specified

Chemotherapy

* At least 3 months since prior chemotherapy for breast cancer

Endocrine therapy

* No concurrent selective estrogen-receptor modulators, including raloxifene
* No concurrent aromatase inhibitors

Radiotherapy

* Not specified

Surgery

* See Disease Characteristics

Other

* More than 3 months since prior therapeutic oral or topical vitamin A derivatives (e.g., isotretinoin)
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No concurrent cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors
* No concurrent oral vitamin A or ascorbic acid (vitamin C) supplements \> recommended daily requirement (10,000 IU for vitamin A and 75 mg for vitamin C)