Fluorouracil With or Without Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Cancer of the Pancreas

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologic or cytologic proof of adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreas or of a metastasis associated with a radiologically identified pancreatic tumor
• Locally advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic cancer
• No measurable or evaluable target lesion is required
• No brain metastasis
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 40%-100%
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 3 times normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 1.24 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 80 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No overt cardiac disease
• Other:
• No peripheral neuropathy
• No uncontrolled infectious or chronic disease
• No second primary except in situ carcinoma of the cervix, or basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent immunologic therapy
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy allowed
• Endocrine therapy:
• No concurrent hormonal therapy
• At least 2 weeks since corticoid treatment
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior radiotherapy allowed except as an analgesic treatment on metastasis
• Surgery:
• Not specified