S0356 Oxaliplatin, 5-FU, Radiation Therapy (RT), Surgery for Pts With Stage II or III Cancer of Esophagus or Gastroesophageal (GE) Junction

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed primary adenocarcinoma of the thoracic esophagus or gastroesophageal junction
• •* No recurrent disease
• •* Primary esophageal tumor at least 20 cm below the incisors (if \< 26 cm below the incisors, a bronchoscopy must be performed and cytology must be negative)
• •* Esophageal disease confined to esophagus and peri-esophageal soft tissue
• •* Gastroesophageal junction disease extending ≤ 2 cm into the gastric cardia
• •Clinical stage II or III disease by CT scan or MRI
• •* If no esophageal mass is detected by these methods, esophageal endoscopic ultrasound is required to determine stage
• •* Positron-emission tomography scan is required to confirm stage
• •Measurable or non-measurable disease by x-ray, scanning, or physical examination
• •No celiac axis nodes ≥ 1.5 cm
• •* Measurable regional lymph nodes ≥ 1.5 cm at stations 2-10=N1 OR subdiaphragmatic lymph nodes at stations 15-19 ≤ 1.5 cm by CT scan or MRI allowed
• •* Palpable supraclavicular lymph nodes must be free of metastatic esophageal cancer by biopsy
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •Over 18
• •Performance status
• •Zubrod 0-2
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• •White blood cell (WBC) count ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• •Hepatic
• •Albumin ≥ 3 g/dL
• •Bilirubin normal
• •Renal
• •Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal
• •Cardiovascular
• •No myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular event within the past 6 months
• •Pulmonary
• •No active pneumonia or inflammatory lung infiltrate
• •Other
• •No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• •No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy
• •No prior chemotherapy for esophageal cancer
• •Endocrine therapy
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy
• •No prior radiotherapy for esophageal cancer
• •No concurrent intensity-modulated radiotherapy
• •Surgery
• •No prior surgical resection or attempted surgical resection of esophageal cancer