Gemcitabine and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Cancer of the Pancreas

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed invasive adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
• * Prior gross total resection via a pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple resection or total pancreatectomy) within the past 2 months
• No clinical evidence of gross residual disease at time of surgery
• * No focally positive margins (tumor at the margin)
• No unresected nodal disease or metastatic disease to the liver, peritoneal surfaces, or elsewhere
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Over 18
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• More than 6 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Granulocyte count greater than 1,500/mm3
• Hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3
• Hepatic:
• Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL
• Renal:
• Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL
• Other:
• Able to maintain adequate oral nutrition
• Documented stable weight (no more than 5 lbs weight loss) for at least 2 weeks prior to study
• No other malignancy within the past 2 years except inactive nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or breast
• Non-metastatic prostate cancer allowed if more than 2 year survival likely
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study or limit survival to less than 2 years
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• No concurrent routine growth factors
• Chemotherapy:
• No prior chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer
• Endocrine therapy:
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy:
• No prior abdominal radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics