Lapatinib (GW572016) for Metastatic or Recurrent Squamous Cell Carcinoma Esophagus

Inclusion Criteria: Patients must have metastatic or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed disease. Patients may have received one prior regimen of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiation, and prior esophagectomy is acceptable. Patients may also have received one prior chemotherapy regimen for recurrent disease. Patients may have received no more than 4500 cGy to fields including substantial marrow. Age greater than or equal than 18 years. Because no dosing or adverse event data are currently available on the use of GW572016 in patients <18 years of age, children are excluded from this study. Life expectancy of greater than 12 weeks. Patients must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below: Leukocytes greater than or equal to 3,000/microliters Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1,500/microliters Platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/microliters Total bilirubin within normal institutional limits AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT)less than or equal to 2.5 X institutional upper limit of normal Creatine within normal institutional limits OR creatinine clearance greater than or equal to 60 ml/min for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal -Cardiac ejection fraction within the institutional range of normal as measured by echocardiogram or MUGA scan. A normal ejection fraction is equal or greater than 50%. Baseline and on treatment scans should be performed using the same modality and preferably at the same institution.