Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of metastatic colorectal carcinoma
• Bidimensionally measurable disease
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 4,000/mm\^3
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin greater than 8 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.2 mg/dL
• AST and ALT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• PT no greater than ULN (not on anticoagulation therapy)
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• Creatine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
• Pulmonary:
• DLCO at least 60%
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study
• No other concurrent active malignancies
• Prior malignancies presumed to be cured allowed
• No other concurrent uncontrolled severe medical problem that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 6 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy without disease recurrence
• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• Prior adjuvant radiotherapy allowed
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of total bone marrow
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• No other prior therapy for advanced disease