Combination Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients Who Are Undergoing Surgery for Locally Advanced Esophageal Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer Locally advanced disease, meeting 1 of the following staging criteria: T3, N0, M0 disease Any T, N1, M0 disease Measurable or evaluable disease PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Performance status ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL Hepatic Bilirubin normal Meets 1 of the following criteria: Alkaline phosphatase (AP) normal AND AST/ALT ≤ 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AP ≤ 2.5 times ULN AND AST/ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN AP ≤ 5 times ULN AND AST/ALT normal Renal Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL Creatinine clearance ≥ 80 mL/min Cardiovascular No uncontrolled congestive heart failure No symptomatic coronary artery disease No uncontrolled arrhythmias No myocardial infarction within the past 12 months No other uncontrolled clinically significant cardiac disease Gastrointestinal Able to swallow tablets Intact upper gastrointestinal tract No malabsorption syndrome Immunologic No history of unanticipated severe reaction to fluoropyrimidine No known hypersensitivity to fluorouracil No severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80 No serious infection that requires continuous antibiotic therapy Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of study treatment No other prior or concurrent malignancy except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix No history of seizures No history of serious psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance or giving informed consent No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy Radiotherapy No prior radiotherapy Other More than 28 days since prior investigational drugs No concurrent warfarin for active anticoagulation