Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum that is not curable with conventional therapy * Recurrent or metastatic disease * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques * At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan * Target lesion must not be in a previously irradiated field unless progression of this lesion has been documented * No known brain metastases * Performance status - ECOG 0-2 * Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100% * More than 3 months * WBC at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Bilirubin no greater than 1.25 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST or ALT no greater than 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present) * Creatinine no greater than 1.25 times ULN * Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmia * No gastrointestinal tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication or a requirement for IV alimentation * No active peptic ulcer disease * No unresolved complete or subacute bowel obstruction * No severe enteropathy that would interfere with absorption of study drug * No abnormalities of the cornea: * Dry eye syndrome or Sjogren's syndrome * Congenital abnormality (e.g., Fuch's dystrophy) * Abnormal slit-lamp examination using a vital dye (e.g., fluorescein or Bengal-Rose) * Abnormal corneal sensitivity test (Schirmer test or similar tear production test) * No significant traumatic injury within the past 21 days * No ongoing or active infection * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study * No other concurrent uncontrolled illness that would preclude study * No other malignancy within the past 3 years except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease with either fluorouracil (5-FU) and oxaliplatin or 5-FU and a topoisomerase inhibitor (e.g., irinotecan), OR 5-FU (or other single-agent fluoropyrimidine, such as capecitabine) followed by irinotecan for advanced disease * Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered * See Disease Characteristics * At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered * At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery * No prior surgical procedures affecting absorption * No prior epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting therapy * No other concurrent investigational therapies * No other concurrent anticancer therapy * No concurrent combination anti-retroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No concurrent warfarin * Low molecular weight heparin allowed