Bryostatin 1 Plus Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Esophageal Cancer or Stomach Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the esophagus or carcinoma of the gastroesophageal (GE) junction If tumor extends below GE junction into the proximal stomach, 50% of the tumor must involve the esophagus or GE junction No gastric cancer with only a minor involvement of GE junction or distal esophagus Locally advanced and considered surgically unresectable or metastatic Measurable disease Accurately measured in at least 1 dimension as at least 20 mm with conventional techniques or at least 10 mm with spiral CT scan No truly nonmeasurable lesions only: Bone lesions Leptomeningeal disease Ascites Pleural/pericardial effusions Inflammatory breast disease Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis Abdominal masses 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: 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 history of active angina No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months No history of significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring medication with antiarrhythmics Well-controlled atrial fibrillation on standard management allowed Pulmonary: DLCO at least 60% Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 2 months after study participation No preexisting neurotoxicity of grade 3 or greater No serious concurrent infection or nonmalignant medical illness that is uncontrolled or whose control may be jeopardized by complications of study therapy No concurrent psychiatric disorders that would preclude study compliance No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except: Nonmelanoma skin cancer Carcinoma in situ of the cervix History of T1a or b prostate cancer (detected incidentally at transurethral resection of prostate [TURP] and comprising less than 5% of resected tissue) provided prostate-specific antigen remained normal since TURP removal HIV negative No other concurrent medical condition that would preclude study therapy PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy: Recovered from prior chemotherapy No more than 1 prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant regimen for esophageal cancer No prior taxanes for esophageal cancer No prior bryostatin 1 for esophageal cancer No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: Prior radiotherapy allowed provided recent evidence of disease progression if indicator lesion is within prior radiation field Recovered from prior radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: Not specified