Combination Chemotherapy as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
• * No other pancreatic tumor type, including either of the following:
• * Neuroendocrine tumor
• * Acinar cell tumor
• * Metastatic disease
• Measurable disease in an area not previously irradiated
• No cerebral metastases or meningeal involvement of the tumor
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 to 75
• Performance status
• WHO 0-1
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (biliary drainage allowed)
• Renal
• Creatinine \< 120 mmol/L
• Cardiovascular
• No prior myocardial infarction
• No prior angina
• No uncompensated cardiac or coronary insufficiency
• No symptomatic arrhythmia
• Gastrointestinal
• No prior inflammatory bowel disease
• No prior chronic diarrhea
• No unresolved symptomatic occlusion or subocclusion of the bowel
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No ongoing active infection
• No other malignancy except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No contraindication to study treatment
• No other serious medical disorder that would preclude study treatment
• No psychiatric disorder or social or geographic situation that would preclude study participation
• Not detained or under the guardianship of another person
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy
• Surgery
• Not specified
• Other
• No concurrent participation in another clinical trial using therapeutic experimental agents