Gemcitabine, Capecitabine, and Oxaliplatin as Second-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Colorectal Cancer Previously Treated With Irinotecan

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma
* Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques or ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
* Must have received prior irinotecan hydrochloride with a progression-free interval of \< 3 months
* No symptomatic brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
* Total bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* No significant cardiac abnormalities by ECG
* No known hypersensitivity to the study drugs or any of their components
* No myocardial infarction within the past 12 months
* No uncontrolled congestive heart failure
* No cardiovascular disorder ≥ grade 3 despite treatment
* No other malignancies or invasive carcinomas diagnosed within the past 5 years, except for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma of the skin or in situ carcinoma of the cervix
* No significant disease, that in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude study treatment (e.g., active infections, interstitial lung disease, or peripheral neuropathy)
* No history of significant neurological or psychiatric disorder (e.g., dementia, seizures, or bipolar disorder)
* No legal incapacity or limited legal capacity that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from all prior therapy
* More than 30 days since prior participation in another clinical trial
* No concurrent warfarin, phenprocoumon, phenytoin, or sorivudine