Oxaliplatin Plus Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Colorectal, Appendix, or Small Bowel Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed colorectal, appendiceal, or small bowel cancer
Measurable disease
No progression after prior capecitabine
No brain metastases or leptomeningeal carcinomatosis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

Not specified

Hematopoietic:

WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

Bilirubin normal
AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

Creatinine normal
Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

No symptomatic congestive heart failure
No unstable angina pectoris
No cardiac arrhythmia

Other:

Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
No sensory neuropathy
No history of allergy to platinum compounds
No history of allergy to antiemetics appropriate for administration during study
No history of intolerance to fluorouracil
No uncontrolled concurrent illness that would preclude study entry
No ongoing or active infection requiring IV antibiotics
HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
Recovered from prior chemotherapy
No more than 2 prior systemic chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease
At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas or mitomycin
At least 8 weeks since prior eniluracil
At least 3 months since prior suramin
At least 4 weeks since other prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

Recovered from prior radiotherapy
At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy to no more than 20% of bone marrow reserve
At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to at least 21% of bone marrow reserve

Surgery:

Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

At least 4 weeks since prior sorivudine or brivudine and recovered
No concurrent sorivudine or brivudine
No other concurrent investigational agents
No other concurrent anticancer therapy or commercial agents