PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: WBC greater than 3,000/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL SGOT less than 40 IU/mL OR SGPT less than IU/mL Renal: Not specified Other: Fasting triglycerides less than 320 mg/dL No prior malignancy in the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or noninvasive cervical cancer No history of malabsorption syndrome Not pregnant Effective contraception required of all fertile persons