Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed stage IB-IIIB adenocarcinoma of the stomach or
gastroesophageal junction having undergone potentially curative resection of primary
tumor

- No more than 8 weeks since primary tumor resection

- No metastatic disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Not specified

Performance status:

- Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- WBC at least 4,000/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 150,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

- AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

- BUN less than 30 mg/dL

- Creatinine no greater than 1.4 mg/dL

- Creatinine clearance greater than 50 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease

- No active angina or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

- No history of significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring medication with
antiarrhythmics

- No history of clinically significant conduction system abnormality

Other:

- No concurrent serious infection that is uncontrolled or would preclude study
participation

- No nonmalignant medical illness that is uncontrolled or would preclude study
participation

- No psychiatric disorders that would preclude study participation

- No other active malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or
carcinoma in situ of the cervix

- No clinically significant hearing loss

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No prior chemotherapy

- No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- No prior radiotherapy to the treatment field

Surgery:

- See Disease Characteristics

Other:

- No other concurrent anticancer therapy