Lymphatic Mapping, Sentinel Lymph Node Analysis, and Blood Tests in Detecting and Predicting Early Micrometastases in Patients With Colorectal Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of colorectal cancer as detected by proctosigmoidoscopy, flexible endoscopy, or gastrografin/barium enema
• No evidence of distant metastases by CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis AND chest x-ray or CT scan of the chest performed within 6 weeks prior to enrollment
• * Preoperative CT scans and testing showing non-specific or non-diagnostic (equivocal) abnormalities may be eligible pending intraoperative exploration
• No discovery of distant metastases intra-operatively
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status (PS) or Zubrod PS equal to 2
• Life expectancy \> 5 years not including the disease/diagnosis of colorectal cancer
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No requirement for emergent surgery (within 2 hours of presentation) to prevent a life-threatening situation or death including:
• * Perforated colon
• * Metabolically significant complete bowel obstruction
• * Massive GI bleeding
• * Occult bleeding or early or partial bowel obstruction not requiring emergent surgery allowed
• No history of Crohn disease, chronic ulcerative colitis, or familial polyposis
• No other malignancy within the past 3 years except for completely resected cervical cancer, skin cancer, or in situ cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• See Patient Characteristics
• No concurrent participation in another research protocol
• * Participation during follow up allowed