RATIONALE: Radiofrequency ablation may be able to shrink or destroy cancer cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemotherapy delivered directly into the blood vessels of the liver may prevent new tumors from growing. Combining these therapies may be an effective treatment for colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver.

PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation followed by chemotherapy delivered directly into the blood vessels of the liver in treating patients who have colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver.

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency tissue ablation followed by hepatic arterial chemotherapy with floxuridine and fluorouracil in patients with colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo an open laparotomy to identify the target tumor in the liver using intraoperative ultrasound followed by radiofrequency tissue ablation over 20 minutes to each tumor and placement of hepatic arterial catheter. Within 35 days postoperatively, patients receive hepatic arterial chemotherapy consisting of floxuridine on days 1-7 and fluorouracil over 1 hour on days 15, 22, and 29. Treatment repeats every 5 weeks for 6 courses. Patients are followed at 1 month, every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 3 years, and then annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 42 patients will be accrued for this study.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed colorectal cancer metastatic to the liver No preoperative or intraoperative evidence of extrahepatic metastasis including clinical, radiographic, gross or microscopic evidence Tumors must be no more than 4 cm in diameter No more than 6 total tumors May have failed prior systemic chemotherapy Failure of 1 prior intra-arterial regimen excluding floxuridine, fluorouracil, or another fluoropyrimidine allowed if liver enzymes recovered No evidence of cirrhosis No gross ascites

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Zubrod 0-2 Life expectancy: At least 16 weeks Hematopoietic: Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Other: No active duodenal or gastric ulcers Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6-8 weeks since nitrosoureas or mitomycin) Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy to the liver Surgery: Not specified