Thalidomide in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery and Chemotherapy for Cancer That Has Spread Throughout the Abdomen Due to Colorectal Cancer or Appendix Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Pathologically confirmed peritoneal carcinomatosis or adenomucinosis secondary to colorectal or appendiceal cancer

  * Underwent cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy (IPHC) within the past 12 weeks

    * Patients with residual disease or no evidence of disease after IPHC are eligible
* No extra-abdominal disease or parenchymal liver metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-3
* Free of infection or postoperative complications
* Hemoglobin \> 8.0 g/dL
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,000/mm³
* Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³
* PTT or PT \< 1.5 times normal (except in patients who are receiving therapeutic anticoagulant therapy for non-related medical conditions, such as atrial fibrillation)
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 mg/dL OR direct bilirubin ≤ 1.0 mg/dL (for patients with Gilbert's syndrome)
* AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times normal
* Serum creatinine \< 2.0 mg/dL
* No peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1, except localized neuropathy due to a mechanical cause or trauma
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use 2 effective methods of contraception for 4 months prior to, during, and for 4 months after treatment with thalidomide
* No history of hepatic cirrhosis
* No history of severe hypothyroidism
* No history of medical problem such as severe congestive heart failure or active ischemic heart disease
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
* No known history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy, biologic therapy, or radiotherapy (except for IPHC)
* No other concurrent systemic therapy
* No concurrent high level sedatives
* No concurrent sedating "recreational" drugs or alcohol