BMS-247550 in Treating Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma
• Prior treatment for metastatic disease with at least:
• * One regimen of irinotecan in combination with a fluoropyrimidine OR
• * Two regimens comprising fluoropyrimidine-based first-line therapy and irinotecan-based second-line therapy
• * May have received cetuximab and/or a fluoropyrimidine as part of second- line therapy
• Disease progression during or within 4 months of treatment with irinotecan
• At least 1 bidimensionally measurable lesion
• No known CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-1
• Life expectancy:
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count greater than 125,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if hepatic metastases present)
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiovascular:
• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No history of unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or congestive heart failure within the past 6 months
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known prior severe hypersensitivity reactions to agents containing Cremophor EL
• No motor or sensory neuropathy grade 2 or greater
• No concurrent serious uncontrolled infection or other nonmalignant medical illness
• No concurrent psychiatric disorders or other conditions that would preclude study compliance
• No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• No growth factors for 24 hours before and after cytotoxic chemotherapy
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Additional prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• No more than 2 prior regimens of cytotoxic chemotherapy for metastatic disease
• No prior oxaliplatin
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• No concurrent hormonal therapy except hormone replacement therapy
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No prior radiotherapy to target lesion unless the lesion has shown progression after completion of radiotherapy
• No concurrent therapeutic radiotherapy
• * Focal radiotherapy for palliation of bone symptoms may be allowed
• Surgery:
• At least 1 week since prior minor surgery (3 weeks for major surgery) and recovered
• Other:
• No other concurrent experimental anticancer medications