OBJECTIVES: I. Assess the efficacy of docetaxel and gemcitabine vs docetaxel and cisplatin in patients with metastatic or locoregionally advanced pancreatic cancer. II. Assess the toxicity, response rate, duration of response, time to progression, survival, performance status, and weight associated with these treatment regimens in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized, open label, multicenter study. Patents are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and docetaxel IV over 1 hour on day 8. Arm II: Patients receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour followed by cisplatin IV over 1 hour on day 1. Treatment is repeated every 21 days for 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 6 weeks until disease progression, and then every 8 weeks until death.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Up to 82 patients (41 per arm) will be accrued for this study.
