patients must be age 18 to 85 years

patient must have biopsy proven colon or rectal cancer

cancer should be judged to be stage 1 to 3 based on preoperative staging

patients may be any race and any gender

patients with cancer judged to be stage 4 are not eligible

patients undergoing emergency surgery for cancer are not eligible

patients who are immunosuppressed or taking immunosuppressive medications (steroids or chemotherapeutic agents) are not eligible

patients with crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis are not eligible

patients with other malignancies are not eligible

patients who are taking part in other neoadjuvant and early adjuvant chemotherapy trials are not eligible