RATIONALE: Bortezomib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for tumor cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining bortezomib with gemcitabine may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: Randomized phase II trial to compare the effectiveness of bortezomib with or without gemcitabine in treating patients who have metastatic pancreatic cancer .

OBJECTIVES:

• Compare the objective response rate in previously untreated patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with bortezomib with or without gemcitabine.
• Compare the toxicity of these regimens in these patients.
• Compare the progression-free, 6-month, and overall survival of patients treated with these regimens.
• Compare the change in overall quality of life (QOL) and in subcomponents of QOL of patients after treatment with 2 consecutive courses of these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Arm I: Patients receive bortezomib IV over 3-5 seconds on days 1, 4, 8, and 11. Patients with progressive disease crossover to arm II.
• Arm II: Patients receive bortezomib as in arm I and gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8.

Courses in both arms repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Quality of life (QOL) is assessed at baseline and before courses 2 and 4. Patients who crossover to arm II from arm I complete QOL questionnaires before the first 2 courses of arm II therapy.

Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 4 years.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 88 patients will be accrued for this study within 20-24 months.

• Drug: bortezomib
• Drug: gemcitabine hydrochloride

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed metastatic ductal or undifferentiated adenocarcinoma consistent with a pancreatic primary for which no standard curative measures exist

  • No locally advanced disease only
• No islet cell, acinar cell, or cystadenocarcinomas

• Measurable disease

  • At least one lesion whose longest diameter can be accurately measured as 2 cm or greater by conventional techniques OR 1 cm or greater by spiral CT scan
  • A tumor lesion in a previously irradiated area allowed provided it is histologically confirmed disease with radiographic progression from a post-radiotherapy CT scan
• No CNS metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (stents allowed)
• AST no greater than 5 times ULN
• PT and PTT no greater than ULN* NOTE: *PT and PTT greater than ULN allowed provided patient is on warfarin anticoagulation and INR is no greater than 3

Renal

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Other

• No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No neuropathy greater than grade 1
• No underlying disease state associated with active bleeding
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• More than 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy or immunotherapy
• No concurrent immunotherapy
• No concurrent colony-stimulating factors during the first course of the study

Chemotherapy

• No prior gemcitabine (even as a radiosensitizing agent)

• No prior chemotherapy

  • Radiosensitizing agent as adjuvant therapy or for locally advanced disease allowed
• No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to 25% or more of the bone marrow
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• Not specified

Other

• No prior bortezomib