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