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

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