Combination Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Cancer of the Esophagus

Cisplatin will be given at a dose of 100 mg/m2 at a concentration of 1 mg/ml over one hour on Day 1 and 29 for a total of 2 courses

5-FU will be given at 500 mg/m2 in 1 liter D5 1/2 by continuous infusion every 12 hours for a total of 8 doses (Total 1.0 g/m2/day X 4 days) on Days 1-4 and 29-32 for a total of 2 courses

30 mg/m2 - 45 mg/m2 given weekly. The dose each subject receives will depend on when they enter the study

Surgical resection should take place approximately 4 weeks following completion of the chemotherapy.

The dose of radiation to the tumor and nodal area will be 4500 cGy given as 180 cGy fractions daily, Monday through Friday, for 5 weeks