DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed stage IB-IIIB adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction having undergone potentially curative resection of primary tumor

  • No more than 8 weeks since primary tumor resection
• No metastatic disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Not specified

Performance status:

• Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 4,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 150,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• BUN less than 30 mg/dL
• Creatinine no greater than 1.4 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance greater than 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No active angina or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No history of significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring medication with antiarrhythmics
• No history of clinically significant conduction system abnormality

Other:

• No concurrent serious infection that is uncontrolled or would preclude study participation
• No nonmalignant medical illness that is uncontrolled or would preclude study participation
• No psychiatric disorders that would preclude study participation
• No other active malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No clinically significant hearing loss
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy to the treatment field

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• No other concurrent anticancer therapy