Gemcitabine and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Cancer of the Pancreas

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed invasive adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

  • Prior gross total resection via a pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple resection or total pancreatectomy) within the past 2 months

• No clinical evidence of gross residual disease at time of surgery

  • No focally positive margins (tumor at the margin)
• No unresected nodal disease or metastatic disease to the liver, peritoneal surfaces, or elsewhere

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Over 18

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• More than 6 months

Hematopoietic:

• Granulocyte count greater than 1,500/mm3
• Hemoglobin greater than 10 g/dL
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL

Renal:

• Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL

Other:

• Able to maintain adequate oral nutrition
• Documented stable weight (no more than 5 lbs weight loss) for at least 2 weeks prior to study
• No other malignancy within the past 2 years except inactive nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or breast
• Non-metastatic prostate cancer allowed if more than 2 year survival likely
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study or limit survival to less than 2 years
• Not pregnant
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent routine growth factors

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• No prior abdominal radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics