DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or carcinoma of the gastroesophageal (GE) junction

  • If tumor extends below the GE junction into the proximal stomach, 50% of the tumor must involve the esophagus or GE junction
  • No gastric cancers with only a minor involvement of the GE junction or distal esophagus
• Metastatic or locally advanced disease that is considered surgically unresectable
• Must have failed a prior chemotherapy regimen that included paclitaxel for metastatic disease OR

• Failed prior combination taxane-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy for locally advanced disease

  • Must have documented evidence of the following:

    • Disease progression while on taxane-based neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy OR
    • Recurrent disease within 6 months of therapy

• Measurable disease

  • Accurately measured in at least 1 dimension

    • At least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR
    • At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan

  • The following are considered nonmeasurable:

    • Bone lesions
    • Leptomeningeal disease
    • Ascites
    • Pleural/pericardial effusions
    • Inflammatory breast disease
    • Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    • Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
    • Cystic lesions
• No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 150,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• No active angina or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring antiarrhythmic medication
• Atrial fibrillation that is well controlled on standard management allowed

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study
• No preexisting peripheral neuropathy of grade 2 or greater
• No serious concurrent infection
• No uncontrolled, nonmalignant medical illness that would preclude study
• HIV negative
• No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except:
• Nonmelanoma skin cancer or
• Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• History of T1a or T1b prostate cancer (detected incidentally during transurethral resection of the prostate and comprising less than 5% of resected tissue) allowed if PSA normal since surgery
• No medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No more than 6 months since prior paclitaxel
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior radiotherapy allowed (indicator lesion must be outside of prior radiation port unless recent evidence of disease progression at that site)
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics

Other:

• No prior cyclin-dependent kinase or protein kinase C inhibitors for esophageal cancer
• Recovered from toxic effects of any prior therapy
• No concurrent vitamins, antioxidants or herbal preparations or supplements