Oxaliplatin With or Without Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Locally Recurrent Colorectal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum that is not amenable to potentially curative surgical resection
Metastatic or locally recurrent disease
Tumor in liver or lung accessible to needle biopsy by ultrasound or CT scan guidance

At least 1 measurable lesion

At least 20 mm by conventional techniques, including physical examination, CT scan, or MRI OR
At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
Lesions on colonoscopic examination or barium studies, bone metastases, CNS lesions, and ascites are not considered measurable
Failed prior therapy with fluorouracil, leucovorin calcium, and irinotecan given either sequentially or in combination
No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

At least 3 months

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 no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR
Creatinine clearance at least 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 peripheral neuropathy greater than grade 1
No other concurrent uncontrolled illness that would preclude study
No concurrent psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study
No ongoing or active infection
No prior allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to oxaliplatin or gefitinib
No other concurrent malignancy except non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix unless considered to be at less than 30% risk of relapse after completion of therapy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

No prior epidermal growth factor inhibitor
At least 24 hours since prior colony-stimulating factors
No concurrent colony-stimulating factors during first course of study therapy

Chemotherapy:

See Disease Characteristics
No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for metastatic disease
Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed
At least 4 weeks since prior cytotoxic chemotherapy and recovered
No prior cisplatin or oxaliplatin

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 4 weeks since prior surgery

Other:

At least 30 days since prior investigational agents
Recovered from prior therapy
No concurrent anti-retroviral therapy for HIV
No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for malignancy