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

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum
• * Locally recurrent or metastatic disease
• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional CT scan OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• * Bone metastases, ascites, and pleural effusion are not considered measurable disease
• * Measurable lesions must be located outside a previously irradiated field
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Performance status
• SWOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin normal
• No Gilbert's disease
• Renal
• Creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
• Cardiovascular
• No clinically significant cardiac disease that is not well controlled by medication, including any of the following conditions:
• * Congestive heart failure
• * Symptomatic coronary artery disease
• * Cardiac arrhythmias
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• Gastrointestinal
• Must have a physically intact upper gastrointestinal tract
• Able to swallow tablets
• No history of peptic ulcer disease or gastroesophageal reflux
• No malabsorption syndrome
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known HIV positivity
• No asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reaction after prior treatment with aspirin or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• No other malignancy except curatively treated cancer with no evidence of active disease
• No unresolved bacterial infection requiring antibiotics
• No other serious infection
• No known allergy to study drugs or sulfa drugs
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy for colorectal cancer
• * Patients relapsing \> 6 months after completion of prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy
• Surgery
• Recovered from prior surgery
• No concurrent anticancer surgery
• Other
• Prior celecoxib for nonmalignant disorders allowed
• No other concurrent cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including any of the following:
• * Rofecoxib
• * Ibuprofen
• * Naproxen
• * Etodolac
• * Oxaprozin
• * Diflunisal
• * Nabumetone
• * Tolmetin