Cetuximab, Cisplatin, and Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Metastatic Esophageal Cancer, Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer, or Gastric Cancer That Did Not Respond to Previous Irinotecan and Cisplatin

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following: * Adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus * Adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction * Adenocarcinoma of the stomach * Metastatic disease * Measurable disease by diagnostic CT scan or MRI * Failed prior treatment with cisplatin and irinotecan hydrochloride, defined by the following: * Radiographic progression within 12 weeks\* from the last dose of prior cisplatin and irinotecan hydrochloride, administered either as adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapy, OR as therapy for metastatic disease NOTE: \*Prior irinotecan hydrochloride and cisplatin must have been administered within the past 12 weeks; other chemotherapy regimens may have been administered between the time of disease progression or prior irinotecan hydrochloride/cisplatin and study entry * Pathologic tissue available for immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining for the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) * Positive or negative EGFR by IHC allowed PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 70-100% * Life expectancy \> 3 months * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³ * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL * Bilirubin normal * AST and ALT \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present) * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No prior severe infusion reaction to a monoclonal antibody * No history of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to irinotecan hydrochloride, cisplatin, or other study agents * No prior intolerance to irinotecan hydrochloride or cisplatin despite prior dose attenuations * No uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection requiring parenteral antibiotics * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Uncontrolled hypertension * Clinically significant cardiac arrhythmia * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * HIV infection * Psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance * No history of Gilbert's disease * No medical condition or reason that would preclude study treatment PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy and recovered * No more than 2 prior treatment regimens for metastatic disease * No prior therapy specifically and directly targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway * No prior anticancer murine or chimeric monoclonal antibody therapy * Prior humanized monoclonal antibody therapy allowed * No concurrent antiseizure medications known to affect the metabolism of irinotecan hydrochloride, including phenytoin or phenobarbital * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies