Surgery With or Without Thalidomide in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

RATIONALE: Thalidomide may stop the growth of colorectal cancer by stopping blood flow to the tumor. Giving thalidomide after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying surgery and thalidomide to see how well they work compared to surgery alone in treating patients with recurrent or metastatic colorectal cancer.