OBJECTIVES:
* Determine the efficacy of irinotecan and docetaxel with or without cetuximab, in terms of objective response rate, in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
* Determine the time to progression and overall survival of patients treated with these regimens.
* Determine the proportion of patients with tumors that overexpress epidermal growth factor receptor.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.
* Arm A: Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour and irinotecan IV over 30 minutes weekly on days 1, 8, 15, and 22.
* Arm B: Patients receive docetaxel and irinotecan as in arm A. Patients also receive cetuximab IV over 1-2 hours on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36.
Courses repeat in both arms every 6 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Patients are followed every 3 months for 2 years, every 6 months for 1 year, and then periodically thereafter.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 92 patients (46 per treatment arm)
