Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Colorectal Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced, locally recurrent, or metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma not curable by surgery or radiotherapy
• * Histological or cytological requirement waived in patients who developed radiological or clinical evidence of metastatic cancer after a prior surgical resection unless:
• * More than 5 years has elapsed since primary surgery OR
• * Primary cancer was stage I or II
• Site of primary lesion must be or have been confirmed endoscopically, radiologically, or surgically to be or have been in the large bowel
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• No CNS metastases or carcinomatous meningitis
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• AST no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 5 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No unstable angina
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No serious uncontrolled arrhythmia
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac disease
• Pulmonary:
• No interstitial pneumonia or extensive and symptomatic interstitial fibrosis of the lung
• No pleural effusion or ascites that cause respiratory compromise (grade 2 or worse dyspnea)
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active or uncontrolled infection
• No symptomatic sensory peripheral neuropathy
• No known allergy to platinum compounds
• No history of gastrointestinal bleeding unless it is determined to be acceptable by the enrolling physician
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the uterine cervix, or other resected malignant tumor with less than a 10% probability of tumor relapse within 3 years of diagnosis
• No medical or psychiatric conditions that would preclude study
• No colonic or small bowel disorders with uncontrolled symptoms of more than 3 loose stools per day
• Colostomy or ileostomy allowed at investigator's discretion
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Prior adjuvant immunotherapy for resected stage II-IV disease allowed if adjuvant therapy concluded at least 1 year before documentation of recurrent disease
• No concurrent sargramostim (GM-CSF)
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer
• No prior standard adjuvant chemotherapy for rectal cancer
• Prior adjuvant fluorouracil for resected stage II-IV disease allowed if adjuvant therapy concluded at least 1 year before documentation of recurrent disease
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior major radiotherapy (e.g., chest or bone palliative radiotherapy)
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 15% of bone marrow
• No prior standard adjuvant radiotherapy for rectal cancer
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery (e.g., laparotomy) (2 weeks for minor surgery) and recovered
• Insertion of a vascular access device not considered major or minor surgery
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational agents