Calcitriol and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Metastatic or Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
• * Locally advanced or metastatic disease
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• Over 18
• Performance status
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• White blood cell (WBC) \> 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count \> 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase (AP) \< 5.0 times ULN
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \< 2.5 times ULN (if AP \< 2.5 times ULN) OR
• ALT and AST \< 1.5 times ULN (if AP \> 2.5 times ULN and \< 5.0 times ULN)
• Renal
• Creatinine \< 1.3 mg/dL
• Calcium \< 10.5 mg/dL
• Phosphate \< 4.7 mg/dL
• No kidney stones within the past 5 years
• No history of hypercalcemia
• Cardiovascular
• No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
• No uncontrolled heart failure with a known ejection fraction \< 30%
• No other significant heart disease
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No hypersensitivity to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
• No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
• No comorbid condition that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease
• No prior chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced disease
• No prior adjuvant docetaxel
• * Other prior adjuvant chemotherapy allowed
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• See Chemotherapy
• More than 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• Surgery
• More than 30 days since prior investigational surgery
• Other
• More than 7 days since prior and no concurrent digoxin or thiazide diuretic therapy
• More than 30 days since prior investigational therapy
• No concurrent magnesium-containing antacids, bile resin-binding drugs, or calcium supplements