Combination Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma
• * Non-metastatic disease that is unresectable due to any of the following:
• * Tumor greater than 5 cm
• * Bulky lymph nodes greater than 2 cm, but within the radiation port
• * Vascular involvement or impingement of major vessels
• * Involvement of colon, adrenal glands, or kidney
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• No prior therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma
• No peritoneal seeding or other evidence of metastatic disease by laparotomy or laparoscopy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• CTC 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal
• Renal:
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• Other:
• No other uncontrolled serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except limited or curatively treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior abdominal radiotherapy
• Surgery:
• At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery