Paclitaxel With or Without Cixutumumab as Second-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Esophageal Cancer or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the progression-free survival of paclitaxel plus cixutumumab (IMC-A12) versus paclitaxel alone as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic esophagus or gastroesophageal (GE) junction cancer. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the overall survival of paclitaxel plus cixutumumab (IMC-A12) versus paclitaxel alone in this patient population. II. To evaluate the response rate of paclitaxel plus cixutumumab (IMC-A12) versus paclitaxel alone in this patient population. III. To evaluate the toxicity of cixutumumab (IMC-A12) plus paclitaxel versus paclitaxel alone in this patient population. IV. Exploratory analyses will assess potentially relevant cixutumumab (IMC-A12) pharmacodynamic biomarkers obtained from serum samples, including but not limited to, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF-II, insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-2, and IGFBP-3. OUTLINE: Patients are equally randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive paclitaxel intravenously (IV) over 1 hour at a dose of 80 mg/m\^2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of every 28 day cycle. ARM II: Patients receive cixutumumab IV over 1 hour at a dose of 10 mg/kg on days 1 and 15 of every 28 day cycle and paclitaxel as in Arm I. In both arms, courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years.