Flavopiridol and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Esophageal Cancer That Has Not Responded to Previous Paclitaxel

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or carcinoma of the gastroesophageal (GE) junction

  * If tumor extends below the GE junction into the proximal stomach, 50% of the tumor must involve the esophagus or GE junction
  * No gastric cancers with only a minor involvement of the GE junction or distal esophagus
* Metastatic or locally advanced disease that is considered surgically unresectable
* Must have failed a prior chemotherapy regimen that included paclitaxel for metastatic disease OR
* Failed prior combination taxane-based chemotherapy and radiotherapy for locally advanced disease

  * Must have documented evidence of the following:

    * Disease progression while on taxane-based neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy OR
    * Recurrent disease within 6 months of therapy
* Measurable disease

  * Accurately measured in at least 1 dimension

    * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR
    * At least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
  * The following are considered nonmeasurable:

    * Bone lesions
    * Leptomeningeal disease
    * Ascites
    * Pleural/pericardial effusions
    * Inflammatory breast disease
    * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    * Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
    * Cystic lesions
* No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 150,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

* No active angina or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring antiarrhythmic medication
* Atrial fibrillation that is well controlled on standard management allowed

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study
* No preexisting peripheral neuropathy of grade 2 or greater
* No serious concurrent infection
* No uncontrolled, nonmalignant medical illness that would preclude study
* HIV negative
* No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except:
* Nonmelanoma skin cancer or
* Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* History of T1a or T1b prostate cancer (detected incidentally during transurethral resection of the prostate and comprising less than 5% of resected tissue) allowed if PSA normal since surgery
* No medical or psychiatric condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* No concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No more than 6 months since prior paclitaxel
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Prior radiotherapy allowed (indicator lesion must be outside of prior radiation port unless recent evidence of disease progression at that site)
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics

Other:

* No prior cyclin-dependent kinase or protein kinase C inhibitors for esophageal cancer
* Recovered from toxic effects of any prior therapy
* No concurrent vitamins, antioxidants or herbal preparations or supplements