BMS-247550 in Treating Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma
• •* Distant metastases OR
• •* Locoregional disease that has failed or is not amenable to locoregional therapy
• •No de novo locoregional disease
• •No known brain metastases
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •Adult
• •Performance status:
• •Zubrod 0-1
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• •Alkaline phosphatase less than 2.5 times ULN
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
• •Cardiovascular:
• •No recent myocardial infarction, unstable angina, or life-threatening arrhythmia
• •Other:
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or stage I or II cancer in remission
• •No prior severe hypersensitivity reaction to drugs containing Cremophor EL
• •No active or uncontrolled infection
• •No severe psychiatric disorders
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •No prior neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or primary immunotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer
• •No concurrent anticancer immunotherapy
• •Chemotherapy:
• •No prior neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or primary chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer
• •No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •No prior neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or primary hormonal therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer
• •No concurrent anticancer hormonal therapy
• •Radiotherapy:
• •No prior neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or primary radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer
• •Prior palliative radiotherapy allowed if at least 1 lesion remains outside of radiation field or at least 1 lesion has progressed since radiotherapy
• •No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy except palliative radiotherapy to non-target metastatic sites
• •Surgery:
• •At least 2 weeks since prior surgery for pancreatic cancer and recovered
• •Other:
• •No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• •No concurrent herbal or unconventional therapy (e.g., St. John's Wort)