Second-Line Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Who Have Received First-Line Chemotherapy and Bevacizumab

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma

  * Metastatic or unresectable disease
* Progressive disease based on the following criteria:

  * Progression during or after first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease, including any of the following:

    * Fluoropyrimidine-based monotherapy with bevacizumab
    * Fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan hydrochloride-based doublet with bevacizumab
    * Fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin-based doublet with bevacizumab
  * Progression after more than 3 months from the last administration of first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease with a fluoropyrimidine, irinotecan hydrochloride, and oxaliplatin triplet (FOLFOXIRI) with bevacizumab to which the patient had previously responded
* Measurable disease, as assessed by RECIST criteria
* No prior or concurrent CNS metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Life expectancy \> 3 months
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
* INR ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* aPTT ≤ 1.5 ULN
* Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN (\< 5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (\< 5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Proteinuria \< 2+ OR protein ≤ 1g by 24-hour urine
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No bowel obstruction or subobstruction
* No history of inflammatory enteropathy
* No prior extensive intestinal resection (i.e., \> hemicolectomy or extensive small intestine resection with chronic diarrhea)
* No symptomatic peripheral neuropathy \> grade 2
* No active uncontrolled infection
* No active disseminated intravascular coagulation
* No prior or concurrent malignancy, except for curatively treated basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ carcinoma of the cervix
* No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  * Cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months
  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * Unstable angina
  * NYHA class II-IV chronic heart failure
  * Uncontrolled arrhythmia
* No uncontrolled hypertension
* No thromboembolic or hemorrhagic events within the past 6 months
* No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
* No serious, non healing wound/ulcer or serious bone fracture
* No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior surgery
* No prior first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease without bevacizumab
* No prior cetuximab or other investigational agents
* More than 28 days since prior open biopsy
* More than 28 days since prior and no concurrent major surgical procedure
* No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulation, antiplatelet agents, or NSAID with anti-platelet activity

  * Acetylsalicylic acid ≤ 325 mg/day allowed