Changes in Muscle Tissue in Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

OBJECTIVES: * Demonstrate a decrease/increase of fat-free mass (FFM) by 10% from baseline, based on tumor progression/regression, within each patient with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic carcinoma. * Determine the correlation between changes in FFM and 6-month survival. * Confirm the frequency of lymphocytopenia in patients with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic carcinoma. * Demonstrate an interaction between pretreatment total lymphocyte count, treatment response, and 6-month survival in patients with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic carcinoma. * Collect adjuvant information, such as weight, body mass index, age, ECOG performance status, gait speed, concomitant medications, CA19-9, and total lymphocyte count, in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a pilot study. Patients will have weight, body mass index, age, ECOG performance status, gait speed, concomitant medications, CA19-9, and total lymphocyte count measured before start of cancer treatment of the patient's choosing. Patients will be re-assessed at approximately 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and with any change in tumor burden. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 17 patients will be accrued for this study.