Second-Line Combination Chemotherapy With or Without Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Who Have Received First-Line Chemotherapy and Bevacizumab

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma * Metastatic or unresectable disease * Progressive disease based on the following criteria: * Progression during or after first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease, including any of the following: * Fluoropyrimidine-based monotherapy with bevacizumab * Fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan hydrochloride-based doublet with bevacizumab * Fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin-based doublet with bevacizumab * Progression after more than 3 months from the last administration of first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease with a fluoropyrimidine, irinotecan hydrochloride, and oxaliplatin triplet (FOLFOXIRI) with bevacizumab to which the patient had previously responded * Measurable disease, as assessed by RECIST criteria * No prior or concurrent CNS metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status 0-2 * Life expectancy \> 3 months * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL * INR ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * aPTT ≤ 1.5 ULN * Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN (\< 5 times ULN if liver metastases present) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (\< 5 times ULN if liver metastases present) * Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Proteinuria \< 2+ OR protein ≤ 1g by 24-hour urine * Not pregnant or nursing * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No bowel obstruction or subobstruction * No history of inflammatory enteropathy * No prior extensive intestinal resection (i.e., \> hemicolectomy or extensive small intestine resection with chronic diarrhea) * No symptomatic peripheral neuropathy \> grade 2 * No active uncontrolled infection * No active disseminated intravascular coagulation * No prior or concurrent malignancy, except for curatively treated basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ carcinoma of the cervix * No clinically significant cardiovascular disease, including any of the following: * Cerebrovascular accident within the past 6 months * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * Unstable angina * NYHA class II-IV chronic heart failure * Uncontrolled arrhythmia * No uncontrolled hypertension * No thromboembolic or hemorrhagic events within the past 6 months * No evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy * No serious, non healing wound/ulcer or serious bone fracture * No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * At least 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy * At least 4 weeks since prior surgery * No prior first-line chemotherapy for metastatic disease without bevacizumab * No prior cetuximab or other investigational agents * More than 28 days since prior open biopsy * More than 28 days since prior and no concurrent major surgical procedure * No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulation, antiplatelet agents, or NSAID with anti-platelet activity * Acetylsalicylic acid ≤ 325 mg/day allowed