Phase II Trial of Preoperative Combined Modality Therapy for Esophageal Carcinoma: Cisplatin-Irinotecan Followed by Radiation Therapy With Concurrent Cisplatin and Irinotecan.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must be able to sign the informed consent document. Exclusion Criteria: * Tis (in-situ carcinoma) and tumors determined to be TIN0 following endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound, or CT scanning. * Cervical esophageal tumors, * Gastric cancers with minor involvement of the gastroesophageal junction or distal esophagus. * Prior chemotherapy or radiation. * Patients with evidence of metastatic disease are not eligible. This includes: * Positive malignant cytology of the pleura, pericardium or peritoneum. * Radiographic evidence of distant organ involvement including lung, liver, bone, or brain. * Patients with involvement of non-regional lymph nodes including supraclavicular or celiac lymph node metastases. * Biopsy proven tumor invasion of the tracheobronchial tree or presence of tracheoesophageal fistula. Recurrent laryngeal nerve or phrenic nerve paralysis, * New York Heart Association Class III or 1V heart disease. Angina or myocardial infarction within the last 6 months, history of significant ventricular arrhythmia requiring medication with antiarrhythmics, or a history of a clinically significant conduction system abnormality. * Severe co-morbid conditions including severe uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, cerebral vascular disease, uncontrolled infection, or nonmalignant illness whose control may be jeopardized by the complications of this study treatment. * Pregnant or lactating women are ineligible as the effect of the drugs used in this study on a fetus or newborn child are unknown. Premenopausal fertile females require a negative pregnancy test prior to study entry. Treatment may not begin until the results of the pregnancy tests are ascertained. Both sexes must use contraception while on this study. * History of prior malignancy (other than basal cell/squamous carcinoma of the skin, in-situ cervical carcinoma, or superficial transitional cell bladder carcinoma) diagnosed and/or treated within three years of entrance into this study. * Patients with known Gilbert's Disease. * Clinically significant hearing loss. * Serum calcium\_\>12 mg/dl. * Patients with a history of seizure disorder who are receiving phenytoin, phenobarbital, or other antiepileptic medication. * Patients who cannot fully comprehend the therapeutic implications of the protocol or comply with the requirements. * Patients with any other concurrent medical or psychiatric condition or disease, which, in the investigator's judgment, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study.