S0101 Gemcitabine and Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Cancer of the Esophagus

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed metastatic or recurrent carcinoma of the esophagus or gastroesophageal junction
• * Squamous cell carcinoma OR
• * Adenocarcinoma
• No known brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 to 100
• Performance status:
• Zubrod 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Not specified
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal
• Cardiovascular:
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No unstable angina
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No serious uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia
• Gastrointestinal:
• No active inflammatory bowel disease
• No significant bowel obstruction
• No chronic diarrhea
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active infection requiring systemic therapy
• No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 28 days since prior biologic therapy
• No prior biologic therapy for metastatic or recurrent disease
• No concurrent sargramostim (GM-CSF)
• No concurrent immunotherapy for tumor
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent disease
• No prior gemcitabine or irinotecan
• Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy at time of initial diagnosis of localized disease allowed
• No other concurrent chemotherapy for tumor
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior endocrine therapy
• No prior endocrine therapy for metastatic or recurrent disease
• No concurrent hormonal therapy for tumor
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy for metastatic or recurrent disease
• Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant radiotherapy at time of initial diagnosis of localized disease allowed
• No concurrent radiotherapy for tumor
• Surgery:
• Prior thoraco-abdominal surgery allowed
• At least 3 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
• Other:
• No other concurrent anti-cancer therapy for tumor