S0415 Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Metastatic Esophageal Cancer or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of 1 of the following sites:
• * Thoracic esophagus, located \> 20 cm\* from the incisors
• * Gastroesophageal junction, located ≤ 2 cm into the gastric cardia NOTE: \*Tumors located \< 26 cm from the incisors must be confirmed by bronchoscopy and negative cytology
• Disease confined to the esophagus and periesophageal soft tissue
• Metastatic disease
• Measurable disease by x-ray, scanning, or physical examination
• Received exactly 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic or recurrent disease
• * One prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen allowed if administered at the time of initial diagnosis with localized disease
• No known brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Zubrod 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Not specified
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal
• Other
• No prior allergic reaction to chimerized or murine monoclonal antibodies
• No evidence of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA)
• No other 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
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No prior cetuximab
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery
• At least 3 weeks since prior thoraco-abdominal surgery and recovered
• Other
• No other prior therapy that specifically targets the epidermal growth factor pathway
• No other concurrent investigational agents