Imatinib Mesylate in Treating Patients With Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •Histologically confirmed stage IV colorectal cancer
• •Arg, KIT (CD117), or PDGF-R expression (1+ in 20% of cells) in the tumor or microvasculature
• •At least one unidimensionally measurable lesion
• •* At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• •No known brain metastases
• •Performance status - ECOG 0-2
• •Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
• •At least 12 weeks
• •Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• •AST/ALT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• •Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/mL
• •No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• •No unstable angina pectoris
• •No cardiac arrhythmia
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception during and for 3 months after study participation
• •No other malignancy within the past 3 years except non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• •No concurrent uncontrolled illness
• •No ongoing or active infection
• •No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• •More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
• •More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• •More than 3 weeks since prior surgery (excluding diagnostic biopsy)
• •No other concurrent investigational agents
• •No concurrent therapeutic doses of anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin)
• •No concurrent grapefruit
• •No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients