Neoadjuvant Radiation Therapy and Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Colorectal Adenocarcinoma

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma
• * Clinical stage T3, T4, N+
• Measurable disease
• Awaiting surgery and likely to benefit from neoadjuvant radiotherapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 to 80
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/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 2.5 times ULN
• No hepatic condition that would interfere with study medication
• Renal
• Creatinine clearance at least 80 mL/min
• No renal condition that would interfere with study medication
• Cardiovascular
• No serious cardiac failure with the past year
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• No cardiac insufficiency
• No angina
• No uncontrolled arrhythmia
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• Gastrointestinal
• No superior intestinal tract malfunction
• No malabsorption syndrome
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No concurrent serious infection
• No other serious illness
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No metabolic condition that would interfere with study medication
• No dementia or altered mental status
• No psychiatric illness that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy for colorectal cancer
• Surgery
• Not specified
• Other
• More than 30 days since prior participation in another clinical study