Celecoxib, Paclitaxel, and Carboplatin in Treating Patients With Cancer of the Esophagus

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed esophageal cancer of 1 of the following cellular types:
• * Squamous cell
• * Adenocarcinoma
• Potentially resectable disease
• No distant metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Karnofsky 80-100%
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• No bleeding disorder
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular
• No significant history of unstable cardiovascular disease
• No inadequately controlled hypertension
• No angina
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• No ventricular cardiac arrhythmias requiring medication
• No congestive heart failure that would preclude study therapy
• Pulmonary
• Pulmonary function acceptable for surgery
• No interstitial pneumonia
• No interstitial fibrosis
• Gastrointestinal
• No history of peptic ulcer disease
• No irritable bowel syndrome
• No inflammatory bowel disease
• No chronic diarrhea
• No bowel obstruction within the past 5 years
• Other
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to COX-2 inhibitors, sulfonamides, NSAIDs, or salicylates
• No hypersensitivity to paclitaxel or carboplatin
• No other serious underlying medical condition that would preclude study therapy
• No significant psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• No uncontrolled infection
• HIV negative
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• Not specified
• Endocrine therapy
• No concurrent chronic steroid use except inhaled mometasone or fluticasone
• Radiotherapy
• Not specified
• Surgery
• Not specified
• Other
• More than 3 weeks since other prior clinical trial therapy
• At least 72 hours since prior nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• No concurrent chronic NSAID use (7 or more days of continuous therapy per month OR 3 or more days of therapy per week)
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants (e.g., phenytoin or phenobarbital)
• No other concurrent cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors
• No concurrent lithium or fluconazole
• Concurrent low-dose aspirin (325 mg/day or less) allowed for cardiovascular prophylaxis