Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Pathologically confirmed peritoneal carcinomatosis or adenomucinosis secondary to
colorectal or appendiceal cancer

- Underwent cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy
(IPHC) within the past 12 weeks

- Patients with residual disease or no evidence of disease after IPHC are
eligible

- No extra-abdominal disease or parenchymal liver metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status 0-3

- Free of infection or postoperative complications

- Hemoglobin > 8.0 g/dL

- Absolute neutrophil count > 1,000/mm³

- Platelet count > 100,000/mm³

- PTT or PT < 1.5 times normal (except in patients who are receiving therapeutic
anticoagulant therapy for non-related medical conditions, such as atrial
fibrillation)

- Bilirubin < 1.5 mg/dL OR direct bilirubin ≤ 1.0 mg/dL (for patients with Gilbert's
syndrome)

- AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times normal

- Serum creatinine < 2.0 mg/dL

- No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1, except localized neuropathy due to a mechanical
cause or trauma

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use 2 effective methods of contraception for 4 months prior to,
during, and for 4 months after treatment with thalidomide

- No history of hepatic cirrhosis

- No history of severe hypothyroidism

- No history of medical problem such as severe congestive heart failure or active
ischemic heart disease

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer

- No known history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy, biologic therapy, or radiotherapy (except
for IPHC)

- No other concurrent systemic therapy

- No concurrent high level sedatives

- No concurrent sedating "recreational" drugs or alcohol