DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed epithelial carcinoma of the pancreas

  • Unresectable* locally advanced or metastatic disease NOTE: *Documented by high-quality contrast-enhanced CT scan
• No known or clinical evidence of CNS metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• SGOT or SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ
• No unstable or serious medical condition
• No psychiatric disorder that would preclude giving informed consent

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer

  • Prior fluorouracil as a radiosensitizer allowed

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• More than 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer

  • Disease must have progressed after completion of radiotherapy

Surgery

• More than 14 days since prior major surgery and recovered

Other

• More than 30 days since prior investigational agents