Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or
gastroesophageal junction

- Stage I-IVA disease

- No distant metastatic disease (other than regional lymph nodes)

- No evidence of CNS metastases

- CNS metastases stable for > 3 months allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status 0-2

- Consuming ≥ 1,500 calories daily

- ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- SGOT ≤ 2.5 times ULN

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No pre-existing neuropathy

- No prior unanticipated severe reaction to fluoropyrimidine therapy

- No known hypersensitivity to fluorouracil

- No known DPD deficiency

- No known hypersensitivity to any of the components of oxaliplatin

- No significant active infection or other severe complicated medical illness

- No clinically significant cardiac disease (e.g., congestive heart failure,
symptomatic coronary artery disease, or cardiac arrhythmias not well controlled with
medication)

- No myocardial infarction within the past 12 months

- No history of uncontrolled seizures, CNS disorders, or psychiatric disability judged
by the investigator to be clinically significant, precluding informed consent, or
interfering with compliance of oral drug intake

- No malabsorption syndrome

- No other active malignancy within the past 3 years except cervical carcinoma in situ
or nonmelanoma skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- More than 4 weeks since prior participation in any investigational drug study

- No prior pelvic or thoracic radiotherapy