Erlotinib Combined With Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Newly Diagnosed Locally Advanced or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer or Other Solid Tumors

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic epithelial carcinoma of the pancreas or other malignancy considered to be potentially responsive to gemcitabine
• * Newly diagnosed or gemcitabine naive
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• Not amenable to surgical intervention due to medical contraindications or non-resectability of the tumor
• No islet cell tumors or other non-epithelial cell carcinomas of the pancreas
• No active CNS metastases or leptomeningeal disease
• * Treated or asymptomatic brain metastases are allowed if on a stable dose of corticosteroids and/or there is no change in brain disease status for at least 4 weeks after related therapy (e.g., whole-brain radiotherapy)
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status:
• Karnofsky 70-100%
• Life expectancy:
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic:
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL (except for documented Gilbert's syndrome)
• AST or ALT less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (no greater than 5 times ULN if hepatic obstruction or metastases present)
• Albumin at least 2.5 g/dL
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min
• Cardiovascular:
• No significant cardiovascular disease
• No history of congestive heart failure currently requiring therapy
• No ventricular arrhythmia requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy
• No severe conduction disturbances
• No angina pectoris requiring therapy
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
• Gastrointestinal:
• No significant gastrointestinal abnormalities including:
• * Requirement for IV alimentation
• * Active peptic ulcer disease
• Ophthalmic:
• No significant ophthalmologic abnormalities including:
• * Severe dry eye syndrome
• * Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
• * Sjogren's syndrome
• * Severe exposure keratopathy
• * Disorders that would increase the risk for epithelium-related complications (e.g., bullous keratopathy, aniridia, severe chemical burns, or neutrophilic keratitis)
• * Abnormal Schirmer test (less than 2 mm) allowed provided there is no evidence of clinically significant corneal surface abnormalities
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No known or suspected hypersensitivity to gemcitabine
• No uncontrolled infection
• HIV negative
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except treated non-melanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the breast or cervix
• No other life-threatening illness
• No psychiatric disorders or altered mental status the would preclude informed consent or study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 28 days since prior immunotherapy or biological response modified therapy for the primary malignancy
• No concurrent immunotherapy or biologic response modifier therapy for the primary malignancy
• Chemotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior chemotherapy for the primary malignancy
• No prior mitomycin or nitrosoureas for the primary malignancy
• No more than 6 prior courses of chemotherapy with an alkylating agent for the primary malignancy
• No prior gemcitabine for the primary malignancy except as a low-dose (less than 500 mg/m\^2) radiosensitizer administered concurrently with or within 2 weeks after radiotherapy at least 3 months ago
• No other concurrent chemotherapy for the primary malignancy
• Endocrine therapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior systemic hormonal therapy (except LH-RH agonists) for the primary malignancy
• No concurrent systemic hormonal therapy (except LH-RH agonists) for the primary malignancy
• Other concurrent endocrine therapy is allowed as follows:
• * Hormonal therapy (e.g., megestrol) for appetite stimulation
• * Nasal, ophthalmic, or topical glucocorticoids
• * Oral glucocorticoids for adrenal insufficiency
• * Low-dose maintenance steroids
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy for the primary malignancy or metastases and recovered
• No prior wide-field radiotherapy to 25% or more of marrow-bearing bone
• No prior pelvic irradiation
• No concurrent radiotherapy for the primary malignancy or metastases
• No concurrent wide-field radiotherapy for pain management
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from any prior surgery
• No prior surgical procedures affecting absorption
• Other:
• No prior agent for the primary malignancy targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or EGFR-specific tyrosine kinase activity