DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma metastatic to the liver
• No extrahepatic metastases

• Prior complete surgical resection of hepatic metastases (at least 1 lesion) within the past 21-56 days

  • Negative surgical margins unless surrounding normal liver tissue was ablated during surgery
  • Radiofrequency ablation may be used as adjunct to surgical resection but not as primary treatment
  • No prior operative ultrasound during resection of hepatic metastases
• Prior complete surgical resection of carcinoma of colon or rectum (must appear completely resectable in case of synchronous lesions)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,200/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• No pre-existing chronic hepatic disease (chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis)

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than ULN OR
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• Adequate oral nutrition (at least 1,500 calories/day)
• Able to withstand major operative procedure
• No dehydration
• No severe anorexia
• No frequent nausea or vomiting
• No prior or concurrent malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of any organ
• No prior or concurrent malignancy associated with more than 10% probability of death from malignant disease within 5 years of diagnosis

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent immunotherapy
• No concurrent colony-stimulating factors during the first course of study therapy

Chemotherapy:

• No more than 1 prior adjuvant systemic fluorouracil (5-FU) regimen with or without levamisole, leucovorin calcium, or irinotecan

  • One prior 5-FU-based regimen as neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer is allowed
• No prior hepatic artery infusion therapy with 5-FU or floxuridine
• No prior systemic chemotherapy for metastatic disease
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• No prior or concurrent sorivudine or brivudine