A Phase I/Expansion Study of Dasatinib

This open-label, multicenter, non-randomized phase I trial of gemcitabine plus once and twice daily dasatinib is designed to assess the safety, tolerability, maximum tolerated dose/recommended phase II dose, and preliminary efficacy of this combination in adult patients with advanced solid tumors and with previously untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer. Patients will be accrued at Duke University Medical Center, the Duke Oncology Network, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Patients will be accrued to either of the gemcitabine/dasatinib arms in alternating sequential order. In the case where there is an open slot on a particular arm but not the alternative, the enrolled patient will be assigned to that open slot. For example, at the start of the trial, patient #1 will be treated on the gemcitabine with dasatinib twice daily dosing arm, patient #2 on the gemcitabine with dasatinib once daily dosing arm, patient #3 on the gemcitabine with dasatinib twice daily dosing arm, and so on. However, if, due to cohort expansion there is a slot available on one treatment arm but not the other, the patient will be accrued to the open slot. Additionally, if one arm is held, delayed, or not pursued, accrual to the alternate arm may continue. Patients and their treating physicians will not be able to choose on their own which treatment arm that patient will be assigned to. This enrollment procedure will be the procedure for the entire trial. For the dose escalation portion of the trial, patients will only be accrued at Duke University Medical Center. For the expanded cohort portion of patients with previously untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer treated at the recommended phase II dose of each arm, patients may be accrued at Duke University Medical Center,and the sites listed above. NOTE: The first stage closed as of December 2008. Subjects will only be enrolled into the second stage of the this study. * Toxicity will be assessed every visit, and as clinically indicated. * Dose limiting toxicities will be assessed during cycle 1. * Efficacy will be assessed every 2 cycles, and as clinically indicated. * Plasma biomarkers will be assessed at baseline and at every restaging. * Tissue based biomarkers (tumor and granulation tissue) will be assessed in up to 15 patients treated at Duke only. Tissue biopsy sets (a 4mm "stimulus" biopsy and a 5mm "granulation" tissue biopsy, both in the same location) will also be done both pre-treatment and on-treatment. Pre-treatment biopsies will be done on days -7 and 1, respectively. On-treatment biopsies will be done on days 1 and 8, respectively.