Gemcitabine Hydrochloride, Paclitaxel Albumin-Stabilized Nanoparticle Formulation, Metformin Hydrochloride, and a Standardized Dietary Supplement in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer That Cannot be Removed by Surgery

You may be eligible if

• Patients must have a histologic diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma
• Patient must have unresectable disease
• Patients must not have received prior chemotherapy except for the following circumstances; gemcitabine and capecitabine chemotherapy given in the adjuvant setting is allowed if the recurrence is greater than 6 months from the completion of chemotherapy; radiation sensitizing doses of 5-fluororuracil or capecitabine are allowed as part of adjuvant treatment and recurrence must be documented greater than 6 months from the completion of adjuvant therapy
• Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan must be obtained within 4 weeks prior to study entry
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2
• Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mcl
• Platelet count \> 100,000/mcl
• Creatinine \< 1.4 mg/dl and/or a measured creatinine clearance \> 60 cc/min
• Bilirubin \< 1.4 mg/dl
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) no greater than 3.0 times the upper limit of normal
• Patients currently being treated for severe infections or who are recovering from major surgery or other intercurrent illnesses are ineligible until recovery is deemed complete by the investigator
• Patients must not be pregnant or nursing; women and men of reproductive potential must have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method
• All patients must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and must sign and give written informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines
• Patients must be able to swallow pills and must not have malabsorption problems or ongoing nausea and vomiting that would affect oral treatment
• No other prior malignancy is allowed except for the following: adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, adequately treated stage I or II cancer from which the patient is currently in complete remission, or any other cancer from which the patient has been disease free for five years
• Patients currently taking metformin will be eligible