Cetuximab, Cisplatin, and Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Metastatic Esophageal Cancer, Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer, or Gastric Cancer That Did Not Respond to Previous Irinotecan and Cisplatin

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  * Adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus
  * Adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction
  * Adenocarcinoma of the stomach
* Metastatic disease
* Measurable disease by diagnostic CT scan or MRI
* Failed prior treatment with cisplatin and irinotecan hydrochloride, defined by the following:

  * Radiographic progression within 12 weeks\* from the last dose of prior cisplatin and irinotecan hydrochloride, administered either as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy, OR as therapy for metastatic disease NOTE: \*Prior irinotecan hydrochloride and cisplatin must have been administered within the past 12 weeks; other chemotherapy regimens may have been administered between the time of disease progression or prior irinotecan hydrochloride/cisplatin and study entry
* Pathologic tissue available for immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)

  * Positive or negative EGFR by IHC allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 70-100%
* Life expectancy \> 3 months
* WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
* Bilirubin normal
* AST and ALT \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)
* Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No prior severe infusion reaction to a monoclonal antibody
* No history of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to irinotecan hydrochloride, cisplatin, or other study agents
* No prior intolerance to irinotecan hydrochloride or cisplatin despite prior dose attenuations
* No uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Uncontrolled hypertension
  * Clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia
  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * HIV infection
  * Psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance
* No history of Gilbert's disease
* No medical condition or reason that would preclude study treatment

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy and recovered
* No more than 2 prior treatment regimens for metastatic disease
* No prior therapy specifically and directly targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway
* No prior anticancer murine or chimeric monoclonal antibody therapy

  * Prior humanized monoclonal antibody therapy allowed
* No concurrent antiseizure medications known to affect the metabolism of irinotecan hydrochloride, including phenytoin or phenobarbital
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies