Exisulind in Preventing Polyps in Patients With Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: One of the following diagnosis: Diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis Prior total or subtotal colectomy Attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli May have colon intact 10-40 duodenal polyps from second portion to 10 cm distal to papilla of Vater PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 to 80 Performance status: Not specified Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3 No active hematologic disease Hepatic: AST and ALT less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Alkaline phosphatase less than 1.5 times ULN No active hepatic disease Renal: Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL No active renal disease Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No active peptic ulcer disease No serious underlying medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude completion of the study or limit survival No prisoners or institutionalized patients No known allergy to sulindac or related compounds No active internal malignancy within the past 5 years No alcohol or drug abuse within the past 5 years PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: Not specified Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: Not specified Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Other: No prior non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or salicylates more than 10 days a month for the past 3 months No concurrent NSAIDs (e.g., mesalamine, olsalazine, azodisalicylate, salsalate, sulfasalazine) Aspirin for cardiac reasons allowed (81 mg/day or 325 mg twice/week)