S0414 Cetuximab, Combo Chemo, and RT in Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed primary squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the thoracic esophagus (≥ 20 cm from the incisors\*) or the gastroesophageal junction (confined to ≤ 2 cm into the gastric cardia)
• •* Disease confined to the esophagus or peri-esophageal soft tissue
• •* T4, M0 disease
• •* Surgically unresectable disease by esophageal endoscopic ultrasonography OR medically unresectable disease
• •NOTE: \*Patients with primary disease \< 26 cm from the incisors must undergo bronchoscopy AND have negative cytology within the past 4 weeks
• •Measurable or non-measurable disease by x-ray, CT scan and/or MRI, or physical examination within the past 4 weeks (for measurable disease) or within the past 6 weeks (for non-measurable disease)
• •Tumor specimens available
• •No recurrent disease
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •18 and over
• •Performance status
• •Zubrod 0-2
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• •White Blood Cell (WBC) count ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
• •Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL
• •Hepatic
• •Albumin normal
• •Bilirubin normal
• •Alkaline phosphatase normal
• •Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) or Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• •Renal
• •Creatinine clearance \> 50 mL/min
• •Other
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No prior severe reaction to monoclonal antibodies
• •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
• •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
• •No concurrent cobalt-60
• •Surgery
• •No prior surgical resection or attempted surgical resection of esophageal cancer