Fenretinide in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Unresectable Malignant Solid Tumors

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed solid tumor malignancy * Metastatic and/or unresectable disease * No standard curative or palliative measures exist or remain effective * Measurable or evaluable disease * No known brain metastases unless previously resected or irradiated with no treatment with steroids for more than 1 month PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 or Karnofsky PS 60-100% * Life expectancy \> 3 months * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³ * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³ * Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN for patients with known liver metastases) * Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception prior to, during, and for ≥ 6 months after completion of study treatment * No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus at high risk for hypertriglyceridemia (i.e., fasting serum glucose concentration \> 200 mg/dL OR hemoglobin A1C \> 7.5%) * No egg allergy * No history of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to fenretinide (e.g., isotretinoin, vitamin A, or tretinoin) * No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Cardiac arrhythmia * Psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude compliance with study requirements * No known hypertriglyceridemia requiring medication * No identified familial hyperlipidemia disorder PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Recovered from all prior therapy * Prior treatment with oral fenretinide is allowed provided no severe toxicity occurred * At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy * At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas or mitomycin C * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy * No other concurrent antioxidants\* * No concurrent hormone-ablative agents, including steroids, except for adrenal replacement or anti-inflammatory indications * No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies * No concurrent herbal or other alternative therapies\* * No concurrent vitamin supplements (e.g., vitamin A, ascorbic acid, or vitamin E)\* * Standard-dose multivitamin allowed * No other concurrent medications that may act as modulators of intracellular ceramide levels or ceramide cytotoxicity, sphingolipid transport, p-glycoprotein, multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), or MRP1 drug/lipid transporters, including any of the following\*: * Cyclosporine or any of its analogues * Verapamil * Tamoxifen or its analogue * Ketoconazole * Chlorpromazine * Mifepristone * Indomethacin * Sulfinpyrazone NOTE: \*Patients who have discontinued these drugs for ≥ 1 week are eligible * No concurrent medications that may cause pseudotumor cerebri, including any of the following: * Tetracycline * Nalidixic acid * Nitrofurantoin * Phenytoin * Sulfonamides * Lithium * Amiodarone * No concurrent total parenteral nutrition (TPN) with intralipids * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients