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