Rofecoxib After Surgery in Treating Patients With Stage II or Stage III Colorectal Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed colorectal carcinoma
• * Stage II (T3-4, N0, M0) or stage III (any T, N1-2, M0) disease
• Completely resected primary tumor without gross or microscopic evidence of residual disease
• Must have received potentially curative therapy within the past 12 weeks, including any of the following:
• * Surgery alone
• * Surgery plus radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• WHO 0-1
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST/ALT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Renal:
• Creatinine clearance greater than 30 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No severe congestive heart failure
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active peptic ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding within the past year
• No inflammatory bowel disease
• No known sensitivity to rofecoxib
• No prior adverse reaction to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (e.g., asthma, acute rhinitis, nasal polyps, angioneurotic edema, or urticaria)
• No other malignancy within the past 10 years except adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Other:
• No concurrent long-term NSAIDs except low-dose aspirin (no more than 80 mg/day) for cardio-prophylaxis