Conditions: Liver Metastases Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Colon Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Rectum Recurrent Colon Cancer Recurrent Rectal Cancer Signet Ring Adenocarcinoma of the Colon Signet Ring Adenocarcinoma of the Rectum Stage IV Colon Cancer Stage IV Rectal Cancer
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 9
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This phase 0 trial is studying whether 2 weeks of cetuximab and dasatinib will change tumor cells in patients with colorectal cancer and liver metastases that can be removed by surgery. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, can block tumor growth in different ways. Some block the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Others find tumor cells and help kill them or carry tumor-killing substances to them. Dasatinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.

Detailed description:
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the biological effects of cetuximab, dasatinib, or the combination on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)- and Src-signaling pathways in resected colorectal cancer liver metastases.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are initially enrolled in cohort A. Once cohort A is completed, additional patients are enrolled and randomized to treatment in either cohorts B or C. If a significant biological effect is seen in cohorts B or C, additional patients are enrolled in cohort D.

COHORT A: Patients receive no systemic neoadjuvant therapy between enrollment and the time of definitive surgical resection of liver metastases. Liver biopsies were performed at surgery since this cohort received no systemic therapy.

COHORT B: Patients receive 400 mg/m2 cetuximab intravenously (IV) over 120 minutes on day 1 and 250 mg/m\^2 cetuximab IV over 60-120 minutes on day 8. Definitive surgical resection of liver metastases will take place on day 15.

COHORT C: Patients receive dasatinib 100 mg orally once daily on days 1-14. Definitive surgical resection of liver metastases will take place on day 15.

COHORT D: Patients receive 400 mg/m\^2 cetuximab IV over 120 minutes on day 1 and 250 mg/m\^2 cetuximab IV over 60-120 minutes on day 8 AND dasatinib 100 mg orally once daily on days 1-14. Definitive surgical resection of liver metastases will take place on day 15.

Patients undergo tumor tissue (from initial liver tumor biopsies and liver resection samples), serum, and peripheral blood mononuclear cell sample collection periodically for biomarker analysis via immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive no systemic neoadjuvant therapy between enrollment and the time of definitive surgical resection of liver metastases. Liver biopsies were performed at surgery since this cohort received no systemic therapy. arm 2: Patients receive 400 mg/m\^2 cetuximab IV over 120 minutes on day 1 and 250 mg/m\^2 cetuximab IV over 60-120 minutes on day 8. Definitive surgical resection of liver metastases will take place on day 15. arm 3: Patients receive dasatinib 100 mg orally once daily on days 1-14. Definitive surgical resection of liver metastases will take place on day 15. arm 4: Patients receive 400 mg/m\^2 cetuximab IV over 120 minutes on day 1 and 250 mg/m\^2 cetuximab IV over 60-120 minutes on day 8 AND dasatinib 100 mg orally once daily on days 1-14. Definitive surgical resection of liver metastases will take place on day 15.

Interventions: intervention 1: cetuximab intervention 2: dasatinib intervention 3: therapeutic conventional surgery intervention 4: laboratory biomarker analysis
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given IV intervention 2: Given orally intervention 3: Undergo surgery intervention 4: Correlative studies

Protocol document: