RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine, use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining radiation therapy with chemotherapy before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it can be removed. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well neoadjuvant radiation therapy and capecitabine work in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for stage III or stage IV colorectal adenocarcinoma.
Jan 31,2002
All
18 Years
80 Years
18 Years
80 Years
