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

You may be eligible if

• 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)