Isolated Hepatic Perfusion With Melphalan in Treating Patients With Unresectable Colorectal Cancer That Has Metastasized to the Liver

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed colorectal cancer * Metastatic disease limited to the parenchyma of the liver * Patients with limited sites of extrahepatic disease AND who have dominant life-limiting disease in the liver are considered eligible provided the extrahepatic sites can be treated with local ablative measures (e.g., resection or external beam radiotherapy) * No other evidence of unresectable extrahepatic disease by radiological studies * Unresectable hepatic disease defined by \> 3 sites of disease in the liver, bilobar disease, or tumor abutting major vascular or ductal structures making anatomic resection with liver function preservation impossible * Measurable disease * Refractory to prior first-line systemic chemotherapy * Disease progression during or after completion of treatment with an irinotecan- or oxaliplatin-containing regimen for established hepatic metastases * Treatment failure is defined as disease progression evidenced by tumor growth OR new lesions on imaging modalities OR increasing carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Hematocrit \> 27.0% * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 * WBC \> 3,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * Bilirubin \< 2.0 mg/dL * PT ≤ 2 seconds of the upper limit of normal * ALT and AST elevations secondary to metastatic disease allowed * Chronic active hepatitis B or C allowed provided there is no evidence of cirrhosis on pathology, radiologic studies, or physical exam * No history of veno-occlusive disease * No biopsy proven cirrhosis * No evidence of significant portal hypertension manifested by ascites, esophageal varices on endoscopy, or radiologic studies showing significant collateral vessels around the organs drained by the portal venous system * No other liver condition that would preclude study therapy Renal * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR * Creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min Cardiovascular * LVEF ≥ 40% * No ischemic cardiac disease * No history of congestive heart failure Pulmonary * Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other chronic pulmonary disease allowed provided pulmonary function test ≥ 50% of predicted Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * No active infection * Weight \> 30 kg PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * More than 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy for the malignancy and recovered Chemotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy for the malignancy and recovered Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy for the malignancy and recovered Surgery * See Disease Characteristics Other * No concurrent immunosuppressive drugs * No concurrent chronic anticoagulation therapy