Combination Chemotherapy and Cetuximab as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced and/or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. 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. It is not yet known whether giving combination chemotherapy together with intermittent cetuximab is more effective than combination chemotherapy given together with continuous cetuximab in treating colorectal cancer.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying giving combination chemotherapy together with intermittent cetuximab to see how well it works compared to combination chemotherapy given together with continuous cetuximab as first-line therapy in treating patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer.