Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Cetuximab Before and After Surgery in Treating Patients With Resectable Liver Metastases Caused By Colorectal Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, leucovorin, and capecitabine, 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. Giving combination chemotherapy together with monoclonal antibodies before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Giving these treatments after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. It is not yet known whether combination chemotherapy is more effective with or without cetuximab in treating liver metastases caused by colorectal cancer.
PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying combination chemotherapy to compare how well it works when given with or without cetuximab before and after surgery in treating patients with resectable liver metastases caused by colorectal cancer.