Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer That Was Completely Removed By Surgery

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, leucovorin, or fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Cetuximab may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving combination chemotherapy with or without cetuximab after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells and keep colon cancer from coming back. It is not yet known whether giving combination chemotherapy together with cetuximab is more effective than giving combination chemotherapy alone in treating colon cancer.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying combination chemotherapy and cetuximab to see how well they work compared to combination chemotherapy alone in treating patients with stage III colon cancer that was completely removed by surgery.