Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Diagnosis of colon cancer by proctosigmoidoscopy, flexible endoscopy, or
gastrografin/barium enema within the past 8 weeks

- Must have ≥ 12 negative lymph nodes (N0) by standard pathological testing (i.e.,
hematoxylin and eosin staining of a single 4-μm nodal section of each
paraffin-embedded lymph node)

- No evidence of distant metastases by CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis and chest
x-ray or CT scan of the chest within the past 8 weeks

- Preoperative CT scans and testing showing non-specific or non-diagnostic
(equivocal) abnormalities may be allowed pending intraoperative exploration

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG/ZUBROD performance status 0-2

- Life expectancy > 5 years (not including the disease and/or diagnosis of colon
cancer)

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Willing to be followed clinically or by phone, e-mail, or mail correspondence

- No history of any of the following:

- Crohn's disease

- Chronic ulcerative colitis

- Familial polyposis

- No condition requiring emergency surgery (within 2 hours of presentation) to prevent
a life-threatening situation or death, including any of the following:

- Perforated colon

- Metabolically significant complete bowel obstruction

- Early or partial bowel obstruction not requiring emergency surgery allowed

- Massive gastrointestinal bleeding

- Occult bleeding not requiring emergency surgery allowed

- No other malignancy within the past 3 years except for completely resected cervical
cancer, skin cancer, or in-situ cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- No prior complete polypectomy by endoscopy

- No concurrent systemic chemotherapy

- No concurrent participation in another research protocol, except during study
follow-up