DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologic or cytologic proof of adenocarcinoma of the exocrine pancreas or of a metastasis associated with a radiologically identified pancreatic tumor
• Locally advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic cancer
• No measurable or evaluable target lesion is required
• No brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 40%-100%

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
• Neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 3 times normal

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.24 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 80 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• No overt cardiac disease

Other:

• No peripheral neuropathy
• No uncontrolled infectious or chronic disease
• No second primary except in situ carcinoma of the cervix, or basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• No concurrent immunologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent hormonal therapy
• At least 2 weeks since corticoid treatment

Radiotherapy:

• No prior radiotherapy allowed except as an analgesic treatment on metastasis

Surgery:

• Not specified