Inclusion Criteria:

- Signed informed consent

- histologically confirmed esophageal cancer (squamous carcinoma) measurable,
non-metastatic disease

- no previous cancer therapy (chemotherapy, radiotherapy or resection)

- life expectancy > 3 months

- age > 18 years

- WHO Status ≤ 1

- Intended curative resection according to evaluation of an experienced surgeon

- Negative pregnancy blood test at screening but not earlier than 72 hours prior to
start of chemotherapy for women with child bearing potential

- Adequate haematologic function and liver and renal function: neutrophils > 1.5×109/L;
thrombocytes > 100×109/L; haemoglobin > 10 g/dl, creatinine clearance > 60 ml/min
(calculated according to Cockroft and Gault), total bilirubin < 1.0×UNL; AST and ALT
< 1.5×UNL, AP < 2.5×UNL

- Complete staging within 3 weeks prior to start of treatment (CT-scan of thorax and
abdomen, endosonography, gastroscopy)

- Ability to keep appointments and follow the study protocol

- By CT-scan, endoscopy or endosonography measurable or evaluable disease

Exclusion Criteria:

- Former therapy of cancer (operation, chemo- or radiotherapy)

- Diagnosis of another cancer in the last 5 years prior to study entry which has not
been cured by operation only (exception in-situ-carcinoma of the cervix or cured
non-melanomatose skin cancer)

- Known contraindication to the planned chemotherapeutics

- Presence of distant metastases

- Anamnestic known serious disease or other concomitant diseases that affect
participation in this study, such as:

oInstable cardiac disease: symptomatic heart failure, symptomatic coronary artery disease,
ventricular cardiac arrhythmia not well controlled with medication, myocardial infarction
or resuscitation within 6 month before study oActive infection necessitating systemic
therapy or uncontrolled infection oInterstitial lung diseases (for example: pneumonitis or
fibrosis of the lung) and indication for interstitial lung disease in chest x-ray or
CT-scan respectively oActive inflammatory bowel disease or other bowel diseases which
provoke chronic diarrhea (defined as > 4 bowel movements per day) oNeurological or
psychiatric disease including dementia, epilepsy or untreated, symptomatic brain
metastases oLimited hearing ability

- Presence of upper GI obstruction, leading to inability to swallow ground tablets

- Presence of acute or chronic systemic infection

- Presence of a bowel obstruction within the last 30 days

- Pregnant or lactating women or women with child bearing potential and men without
adequate contraception (high effective contraception, defined as Pearl Index < 1)
like birth control pill, hormone spiral, hormone implant, transdermal patch, a
combination of two barrier methods (condom and diaphragm), realized sterilization or
sexual abstinence during the study and at least for 3 months after the last infusion

- Any other situation which may lead to an unacceptable high risk for the patient, when
he participates in the study

- Parallel treatment in another clinical study or prior participation in this study

- Treatment with any other therapy against the tumor or any parallel radiation

- Symptomatic peripheral neuropathy NCI-CTCAE degree > 2

- Intolerance to the study medication

- Detention in a psychiatric unit or imprisonment