Capecitabine and Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced, Recurrent, or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed locally advanced, locally recurrent, or metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma
• At least 1 measurable lesion
• * At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques
• * Bone metastases, ascites, or pleural effusions are not considered measurable disease
• No evidence of CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 80-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT and AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present or 10 times ULN if bone metastases present)
• No known Gilbert's disease
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No clinically significant cardiac disease
• No congestive heart failure
• No symptomatic coronary artery disease
• No cardiac arrhythmias uncontrolled with medication
• No myocardial infarction within the past 12 months
• Gastrointestinal:
• Able to swallow tablets
• No lack of physical integrity of the upper gastrointestinal tract
• No malabsorption syndrome
• Other:
• No prior unanticipated severe reaction to fluoropyrimidine therapy
• No hypersensitivity to fluorouracil
• No history of uncontrolled seizures or CNS disorders
• No psychological illness or condition that would preclude study entry
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No serious infection
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 12 months since prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant, active or passive immunotherapy
• No concurrent active or passive immunotherapy (e.g., 17-1A antibody) for colon cancer
• No concurrent prophylactic hematopoietic growth factors
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 12 months since prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer
• No prior therapy with irinotecan or capecitabine
• No other concurrent cytotoxic agents
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to measurable lesion (newly arising lesions in a previously irradiated area allowed)
• No concurrent radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered
• No prior organ allograft
• Other:
• At least 4 weeks since prior participation in an investigational drug study
• No other concurrent investigational drugs