Docetaxel, Oxaliplatin, Capecitabine, Fluorouracil, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Cancer of the Esophagus or Gastroesophageal Junction

Inclusion Criteria * Histological confirmation of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, gastroesophageal (GE) junction, or gastric cardia * Tumor must be considered surgically resectable; Note: patients with T4N0M0 tumors that are potentially resectable are also eligible * Nodal involvement: patients with involvement of celiac nodes, (stations 15-20) are eligible if the primary lesion is mid-thoracic, distal esophagus or GE junction; patients with supraclavicular node involvement are eligible with upper thoracic esophagus primary lesions * Capable of swallowing pills * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0, 1, or 2 * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1500 * Peripheral platelet count \>= 100,000 * Hemoglobin \>= 9.0 g/dL * Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper normal limit (UNL) * Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) (alanine aminotransferase \[AST\]) =\< 3 x UNL * Creatinine =\< 1.5 x UNL * Negative pregnancy test done =\< 7 days prior to registration, for women of childbearing potential only * Provide informed written consent * Willingness to return to NCCTG enrolling institution for follow-up * Patient willing to provide mandatory tissue and blood samples for research purposes * Patient willing to allow use of FDG PET/CT scans for mandatory research purposes Exclusion Criteria * Evidence of distant metastases * Palpable supraclavicular nodes, biopsy-proven involvement of supraclavicular nodes, or radiographically involved supraclavicular no…