DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of a pancreatic or ampullary mass or malignant stricture of the pancreas by radiography or endoscopy

• Resectable disease as evidenced by all of the following by preoperative imaging:

  • No metastasis outside the pancreas and peripancreatic nodes
  • Superior mesenteric venous-portal system patent
  • No superior mesenteric artery involvement
• No evidence of distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 16 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 2,500/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Hepatitis B surface antigen negative
• Hepatitis C virus antibody negative
• No history of cirrhosis

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 2.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

• No severe congestive heart failure
• No active ischemic heart disease

Immunologic

• HIV negative
• No other primary or secondary immunodeficiency as evidenced by presence of opportunistic infections
• No active infection

Other

• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• No other malignancy requiring systemic therapy
• No history of any other significant medical problem that would preclude surgery

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Prior immunotherapy for pancreatic neoplasm allowed

Chemotherapy

• Prior chemotherapy for pancreatic neoplasm allowed

Endocrine therapy

• Prior hormonal therapy for pancreatic neoplasm allowed

Radiotherapy

• Prior radiotherapy for pancreatic neoplasm allowed

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• Recovered from all prior therapy for pancreatic neoplasm
• More than 3 weeks since prior and no concurrent systemic therapy for pancreatic neoplasm