Oxaliplatin and Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Advanced Esophageal Cancer or Stomach Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, gastroesophageal junction, or gastric cardia for which no potentially curative or significant palliative therapy exists

Unresectable disease
Gastric cardia is defined as no more than 5 cm from the gastroesophageal junction into the stomach
Measurable disease
No known CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

18 and over

Performance status:

ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN)
AST no greater than 3 times ULN
Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

Other:

Able to swallow capecitabine
No unresolved gastrointestinal bleeding
No uncontrolled infection
No chronic debilitating disease
No peripheral neuropathy grade 2 or greater
No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or adequately treated noninvasive carcinoma
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

No prior immunotherapy or biological therapy for recurrent or metastatic disease
No concurrent biologic agents

Chemotherapy:

No prior chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease
Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (including combination chemotherapy and radiotherapy) allowed
No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

See Chemotherapy
No prior radiotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease
No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of the bone marrow
Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant radiotherapy allowed
More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

More than 4 weeks since prior abdominal exploration with surgical resection
More than 3 weeks since prior abdominal exploration without surgical resection

Other:

No concurrent oral cryotherapy during oxaliplatin administration