Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed primary cancer of the colon or rectum

- Isolated hepatic metastases

- Not amenable to curative resection or requirement for complex and or larger
(i.e., > 4 liver segments) liver resection

- Measurable disease (RECIST criteria)

- Original tumor must be (or have been) removed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

- WHO performance status 0-1

- Life expectancy > 3 months

- ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³

- Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times normal

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal

- Transaminases ≤ 5 times normal

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

Exclusion criteria:

- Contraindication or allergy grade 3-4 to any components of the study drugs

- Peripheral neuropathy

- Intestinal occlusion or subocclusion or prior inflammatory intestinal disease

- Severe cardiac disease including any of the following:

- Symptomatic coronary disease

- Myocardial infarction in the past 6 months

- New York Heart Association grade II-IV cardiac insufficiency

- Severe arrhythmia (even if treated)

- Active or uncontrolled infection

- Other concurrent serious disorder

- Severe uncontrolled medical condition

- Other malignancy within the past 5 years or concurrently except basal cell skin
cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

- Study impossible due to psychological, geographical, or social reasons

- Prisoners or patients under guardianship

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Exclusion criteria:

- Prior chemotherapy except adjuvant chemotherapy comprising fluorouracil, leucovorin
calcium, capecitabine, oxaliplatin, irinotecan hydrochloride, and/or bevacizumab
(completed > 6 months ago if oxaliplatin- or irinotecan-based)

- Prior epidermal growth factor (EGF), monoclonal antibody inhibiting transduction of
EGF receptor (EGFR), or any other treatment targeting the EGFR

- Other concurrent anticancer immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or hormone therapy

- Participation in another study in the past 30 days