Pemetrexed, Cisplatin, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Esophageal or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of esophageal or gastroesophageal junction carcinoma
• * Stage III or IV disease
• Treatment with chemoradiotherapy is considered appropriate
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• Clinically significant pleural or pericardial effusions or ascites allowed provided they were drained prior to study entry
• * No pleurodesis within the past 2 weeks
• Controlled brain metastasis allowed provided patient is clinically stable with no signs of progression by MRI or CT scan of the brain ≥ 60 days after completion of treatment AND is asymptomatic and does not require steroids
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
• WBC ≥ 2,500/mm\^3
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Total bilirubin normal
• Alkaline phosphatase AND AST and ALT meeting the following criteria:
• * Alkaline phosphatase normal AND AST or ALT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (≤ 5 times ULN for patients with liver metastases)
• * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST or ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
• * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST or ALT normal
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study therapy
• Able to take folic acid, vitamin B\_12, or corticosteroids
• No known severe hypersensitivity reaction to study drugs
• No uncontrolled serious active infection
• No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1
• No significant cardiac disease, including any of the following:
• * Uncontrolled high blood pressure
• * Unstable angina
• * Congestive heart failure within the past 6 months
• * Left ventricular ejection fraction below the lower limit of normal
• * Myocardial infarction within the past year
• * Serious cardiac arrhythmias requiring medication
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior systemic therapy regimens
• No prior radiotherapy to gastric/esophageal fields
• No aspirin or other NSAID before and after pemetrexed disodium administration
• No concurrent colony-stimulating factors (CSF) to maintain WBC and ANC eligibility values