Tocladesine in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma of the colon or rectum
• * Recurrent or progressive after failing prior fluorouracil and irinotecan chemotherapy, sequentially or in combination, unless unable to tolerate irinotecan
• Measurable disease
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 to 75
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT no greater than 5 times ULN
• PT/aPTT no greater than 1.2 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min
• No impaired renal function
• Cardiovascular:
• No impaired cardiac function
• Other:
• No active infection
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• Not specified
• Other:
• No other concurrent anticancer drugs
• No concurrent chronic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents
• No concurrent chronic therapeutic anticoagulation