Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of 1 of the following sites:

- Thoracic esophagus, located > 20 cm* from the incisors

- Gastroesophageal junction, located ≤ 2 cm into the gastric cardia NOTE: *Tumors
located < 26 cm from the incisors must be confirmed by bronchoscopy and negative
cytology

- Disease confined to the esophagus and periesophageal soft tissue

- Metastatic disease

- Measurable disease by x-ray, scanning, or physical examination

- Received exactly 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic or recurrent disease

- One prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen allowed if administered
at the time of initial diagnosis with localized disease

- No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

- Not specified

Renal

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal

Other

- No prior allergic reaction to chimerized or murine monoclonal antibodies

- No evidence of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA)

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or
squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated
stage I or II cancer in complete remission

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- No prior cetuximab

Chemotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered

- No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- Not specified

Radiotherapy

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

- At least 3 weeks since prior thoraco-abdominal surgery and recovered

Other

- No other prior therapy that specifically targets the epidermal growth factor pathway

- No other concurrent investigational agents