3-AP and Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Recurrent, Unresectable, or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma
• * Recurrent, unresectable, or metastatic disease
• At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion
• * At least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• * Prior radiation field must not have encompassed the only site of measurable disease
• No known brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2 OR
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy
• More than 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic
• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• No G6PD deficiency
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times normal
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal
• Renal
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times normal OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
• Cardiovascular
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• Pulmonary
• No severe pulmonary disease
• No dyspnea at rest
• No dependence on supplemental oxygen use
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study treatment
• No prior allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to study drugs
• No ongoing or active infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No other concurrent uncontrolled illness that would preclude study participation
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy except fluorouracil given as adjuvant therapy OR as a radiosensitizer during radiotherapy
• More than 4 weeks since prior adjuvant fluorouracil therapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• See Chemotherapy
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery
• Not specified
• Other
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients