Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin With or Without Panitumumab In Treating Patients With High-Risk Colon Cancer That Can Be Removed by Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon

  • Radiological T-staging of T4 or poor prognosis T3 (extramural depth > 5 mm)
  • Resectable disease
• Tumor not within 15 cm of the anal verge, as judged by sigmoidoscopy, or below the level of the sacral promontory, as judged by sagittal CT or MRI scan

• No concurrent obstruction and not previous defunctioning or stenting

  • Patients presenting with acute colonic obstruction may enter the trial only after successful defunctioning or stenting, and when recovered to a fitness level consistent with the other eligibility criteria
• No peritonitis secondary to perforated tumor
• No evidence of distant metastases or peritoneal or omental nodules (M1)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• WHO performance status 0-2
• Hemoglobin > 10.0 g/dL
• WBC > 3,000/mm^3
• Platelets > 1000,000/mm^3
• Bilirubin < 25 μmol/L
• Glomerular filtration rate > 50 mL/min
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months (females) 3 months (males) after completion of study therapy
• Able and willing to provide written informed consent for the study

• No serious medical comorbidity, including any of the following:

  • Uncontrolled inflammatory bowel disease
  • Uncontrolled angina or recent myocardial infarction (within the past 6 months)
  • Other serious medical condition judged to compromise ability to tolerate neoadjuvant therapy and/or surgery
• No other malignant disease within the past 5 years except for nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No history of interstitial pneumonitis or pulmonary fibrosis

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No indication for radiotherapy