Tipifarnib and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Unresectable Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed pancreatic cancer
• * Locally advanced disease
• Unresectable disease requiring radiotherapy
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• AST or ALT \< grade 2 elevation
• Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL\* NOTE: \*Prior biliary stent procedure to normalize bilirubin levels allowed
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times normal
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• HIV negative
• No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No known allergy to imidazole drugs, including any of the following:
• * Clotrimazole
• * Ketoconazole
• * Miconazole
• * Econazole
• * Fenticonazole
• * Isoconazole
• * Sulconazole
• * Tioconazole
• * Terconazole
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior experimental or standard chemotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent experimental chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• No prior upper abdominal radiotherapy
• Surgery
• Not specified