Gemcitabine With or Without Dalteparin in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically or cytologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma or poorly differentiated carcinoma of the pancreas that is considered ineligible for curative resection
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Performance status:
• •Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0-2
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •White Blood Cell count greater than 3,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• •No clinically significant bleeding disorder
• •No prior heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL
• •aspartate aminotransferase less than 3 times normal
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL
• •Cardiovascular:
• •No prior hemorrhagic stroke
• •No uncontrolled hypertension (sustained blood pressure greater than 200 mm Hg systolic or 110 mm Hg diastolic)
• •Other:
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No other active malignancy
• •No gastrointestinal bleeding within the past 30 days
• •No contraindications to anticoagulation
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy:
• •No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease
• •Prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• •Surgery:
• •Prior surgical resection allowed
• •At least 4 weeks since prior surgery with non-curative intent and recovered
• •More than 30 days since prior neurologic or ophthalmologic surgery
• •Other:
• •At least 2 weeks since prior low-molecular-weight heparin
• •More than 30 days since prior experimental therapeutic agent
• •No concurrent heparin or warfarin for pre-existing condition