Radiation Therapy Plus Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically proven unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas limited to the head, body, or tail of the pancreas
• * Diameter no greater than 5 cm
• * Volume no greater than 66 mL
• No ascites (with or without tumor cells)
• No endoscopically proven tumor penetration of duodenum or stomach
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• Hepatic:
• No hepatic disease
• At least 50% uptake of technetium-sulfur colloid in normal liver if cirrhosis suspected
• No vascular occlusion of portal system
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• BUN no greater than 25 mg/dL
• Other:
• No Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or other inflammatory bowel disease
• Not pregnant
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• If prior chemotherapy, test dose of colloidal phosphorous P32 administered prior to attempted treatment
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior radiotherapy to pancreas, liver, or upper gastrointestinal tract
• Surgery:
• No complete surgical resection
• No splenectomy