DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed lung OR colorectal cancer

  • Incurable metastatic disease
  • Currently available standard treatment not likely to offer a survival advantage or result in superior palliation
• Evaluable disease by radiograph
• Tumor must currently express carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) by immunohistochemistry OR CEA ≥ 10 ng/mL at any point during disease course
• No clinically active brain metastases

• Part I only:

  • Must have had first- and second-line treatment OR declined second-line treatment
  • Patients with colon cancer must have had or have been offered treatment with oxaliplatin

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

• At least 4 months

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal

• Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  • SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AND alkaline phosphatase normal
  • SGOT and SGPT ≤ normal AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 4.0 times ULN
• Hepatitis B and C negative by clinical history and physical exam

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Proteinuria ≤ grade 1

Cardiovascular

• No known or suspected history of impaired cardiac function as evidenced by baseline echocardiogram

Pulmonary

• Adequate pulmonary function

Immunologic

• No history or clinical evidence of immune deficiency or autoimmunity
• HIV negative

• No history of or concurrent diagnosis of any of the following:

  • Altered immunodeficiency
  • Eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders
  • Acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin condition (e.g., atopic dermatitis, burns, impetigo, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)
  • Addison's disease
  • Hashimoto's thyroiditis
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus
  • Sjögren's syndrome
  • Scleroderma
  • Myasthenia gravis
  • Goodpasture's syndrome
  • Active Graves' disease
• No history of allergy or untoward reaction to prior vaccination with vaccinia virus
• No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
• No history of allergy to eggs or egg products

Gastrointestinal

• No frequent vomiting or severe anorexia
• No inflammatory bowel disease
• No Crohn's disease
• No ulcerative colitis
• No active diverticulitis

Neurologic

• Neuropathy ≤ grade 1 (sensory neuropathy)
• No uncontrolled seizure disorder
• No encephalitis
• No multiple sclerosis

Other

• Must be maintaining a reasonable state of nutrition (≤ 10 % weight loss in the past month)

• Must be able to avoid close household contact (defined as sharing housing or having close physical contact) for at least 3 weeks after recombinant vaccinia vaccination with any of the following individuals:

  • Individuals with active or a history of eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders or those with unresolved acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, burns, impetigo, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)
  • Pregnant or nursing women
  • Children ≤ 5 years of age
  • Immunodeficient or immunosuppressed individuals (by disease or therapy), including HIV infection
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 6 months after study participation
• No other concurrent serious medical illness that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No concurrent biologic therapy
• No other concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 6 weeks since prior nitrosoureas or mitomycin
• Prior docetaxel allowed (part I only)
• No prior docetaxel (part II only)
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• No concurrent systemic steroids except for the following:

  • Physiologic doses for systemic steroid replacement therapy

  • Local (topical, nasal, or inhaled) steroid use

    • No concurrent steroid eye drops
  • Premedication prior to and after docetaxel
• No concurrent hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy

• No prior radiotherapy to > 50 % of all nodal groups

Surgery

• More than 21 days since prior major surgery
• No prior splenectomy

Other

• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 3-4 weeks since prior cytotoxic therapy