Capecitabine and Oxaliplatin in Treating Older Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Diagnosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma * Metastatic disease * Requires first-line therapy for metastatic disease PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * Over 70 Performance status * Katz's Activities of Daily Living scale \< 6 (≤ 6 for patients ≥ 80 years of age) Life expectancy * More than 3 months Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3 Hepatic * AST and ALT \< 2 times normal (5 times normal if due to hepatic metastases) * Bilirubin \< 2 times normal (5 times normal if due to hepatic metastases) Renal * Creatinine clearance \> 30 mL/min Other * No clinical neuropathy PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Not specified Chemotherapy * More than 6 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy * No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * Not specified Surgery * Not specified