Fenretinide in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Ovarian Epithelial or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients with histologically confirmed recurrent or metastatic epithelial ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal carcinoma * Unidimensionally measurable disease; indicator lesions must not have been irradiated unless they have grown following radiation therapy * SWOG performance status 0-2 * Patients must have received a platinum and paclitaxel containing regimen * Patients are allowed to receive =\< 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for recurrent disease; patients who are rechallenged with the same chemotherapy regimen are considered to have had that regimen only once * Projected life expectancy must be at least 3 months * Signed informed consent * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1500/ul * Platelet count \>= 100,000 ul * Bilirubin =\< 2 times the institutional limit of normal * ALT or AST =\< 3 times the upper limit of normal * Measured or calculated creatinine clearance \>= 60 ml/min * Fasting triglycerides =\< 1 time the upper limit of normal; triglycerides may be "normalized" prior to study entry with use of an antilipemic agent (atorvastatin, fenofibrate) * Patients must have recovered from acute toxicities from surgery, radiation or chemotherapy; at least 3 weeks will have elapsed since any prior therapy directed at the malignant tumor * Patients of childbearing potential must agree to use an approved method of birth control Exclusion Criteria: * Prior fenretinide is not allowed; prior 13-cis, 9-cis or all-transretinoic acid are allowed * Patients with a second malignancy within the last 5 years are not allowed, except for those with non-melanomatous skin cancer and carcinoma-in-situ of the cervix; all prior invasive malignancies must be in complete remission * The use of concomitant antioxidants, such as vitamin C or E, is not allowed * Patients with concurrent medical, psychological or social conditions of such severity that the investigator deems it unwise to enter the patient on protocol * Untreated or symptomatic brain metastases * Pregnant or nursing women