Combination Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced pancreatic cancer
• Regional (peri-pancreatic) lymph node involvement allowed
• Clinically or surgically staged and considered unresectable or inoperable
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• More than 6 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3
• Hepatic:
• Not specified
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Other:
• Not pregnant
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other concurrent or prior malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or in situ carcinoma of the cervix or breast
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude giving informed consent or limit survival to less than 2 years
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent anticancer immunotherapy
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy
• No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• No concurrent anticancer hormonal therapy
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior abdominal-pelvic radiotherapy
• No other concurrent anticancer radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior open abdominal surgery
• More than 10 days since prior laparoscopy
• Other:
• No other concurrent investigational drug
• No concurrent participation in other clinical study