Thalidomide in Treating Patients Who Have Undergone Surgery and Chemotherapy for Cancer That Has Spread Throughout the Abdomen Due to Colorectal Cancer or Appendix Cancer

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