Chemotherapy With or Without Dalteparin in Treating Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
• * Metastatic disease
• * Not amenable to treatment
• * No localized or locally advanced disease
• Measurable disease (metastatic or primary tumor) defined as ≥ 2 cm by CT scan or ≥ 1 cm by spiral CT scan or MRI
• No progressive thrombo-embolic disease
• No adenocarcinoma of the biliary tract or ampulla of Vater
• No known CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• WHO performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy \> 12 weeks
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
• Alkaline phosphatase \< 5 times normal
• Bilirubin \< 1.5 times normal
• Creatinine \< 1.5 times normal
• Creatinine clearance \< 30 mL/min
• Pain controlled or stabilized via analgesic therapy
• Affiliation with social security system
• Not pregnant or nursing
• No controlled or uncontrolled jaundice
• No contraindication to study drugs
• No cardiovascular accident (myocardial infarction, cerebral vascular accident) within the past 6 months
• No serious cardiac and/or respiratory disease
• No other cancer in the past 5 years except the following cancers, provided they have been completely resected:
• * Skin cancer
• * Localized melanoma
• * Carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No history of thrombophilia
• No history of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
• No uncontrolled or persistent hypercalcemia
• No psychological, familial, social, and/or geographical condition that precludes participation in the study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• No prior hematologic therapy for metastatic disease
• No prior abdominal radiotherapy
• No concurrent corticosteroids as anti-emetic therapy
• No other concurrent anticoagulation