DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

  • Locally advanced or metastatic disease

    • Locally advanced disease must extend outside the boundaries of a standard radiotherapy port
• Not amenable to curative surgery or radiotherapy

• Measurable disease

  • At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
  • Pleural effusion and ascites are not considered measurable lesions
  • Outside prior radiotherapy port
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1 OR
• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 3 months

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• No evidence of bleeding diathesis

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal
• AST and/or ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active or ongoing infection
• No other active malignancy
• No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to sorafenib or other study agents
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No other uncontrolled illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior antiangiogenic agents

Chemotherapy

• No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for metastatic disease
• At least 4 weeks since prior adjuvant chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
• No prior gemcitabine

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• No prior investigational drugs
• No prior sorafenib
• No prior MAPK signaling agents

• Concurrent warfarin anticoagulation allowed provided the following criteria are met:

  • Therapeutic on a stable warfarin dose
  • INR ≤ 3
  • Undergo weekly INR testing
  • No active bleeding or pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No other concurrent anticancer therapies