AZD0530 and Gemcitabine in Locally Advanced/Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma
• Unresectable disease
• Locally advanced or metastatic disease
• Clinically or radiologically documented disease
• Measurable or evaluable disease (phase I)
• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan (phase II)
• Measurable lesion must be outside of previously irradiated field if it is the sole site of disease unless there is documented disease progression
• No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

• More than 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if clearly attributable to liver metastasis)

Renal

• Creatinine normal

Cardiovascular

• No active cardiomyopathy
• No congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No myocardial infarction within the past 12 months

Pulmonary

• No pulmonary disease requiring oxygen supplementation

Gastrointestinal

• Must not require IV hyperalimentation
• No uncontrolled inflammatory gastrointestinal (GI) disease (e.g., Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
• No active peptic ulcer disease
• No postsurgical malabsorption characterized by uncontrolled diarrhea that results in weight loss and vitamin deficiency
• No other GI tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medications
• Must be able to take oral medication without crushing, dissolving, or chewing tablets
• Pancreatic enzyme supplementation allowed provided the above conditions are met

Immunologic

• No immune deficiency
• No active, uncontrolled, or serious infection
• No know hypersensitivity to study drugs or their components
• No known HIV positivity

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history of psychiatric illness (e.g., uncontrolled psychotic disorders) or neurologic disorder that would preclude study compliance
• No other serious medical condition or illness that would preclude study participation
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated nonmelanomatous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix or bladder

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Chemotherapy

• No prior chemotherapy except fluorouracil (with or without leucovorin calcium) or gemcitabine given concurrently with radiotherapy as a radiosensitizer
• At least 4 weeks since prior fluorouracil or gemcitabine

Endocrine therapy

• Concurrent systemic hormonal therapy for symptom control (e.g., appetite stimulation, pain, or nausea) allowed

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• See Chemotherapy
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy for local disease and recovered

Surgery

• At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

• At least 2 weeks since prior anticancer therapy or investigational agents
• The following drugs must not be used for 1-2 weeks before, during, and for 1-2 weeks after completion of study treatment:
• Ketoconazole
• Itraconazole
• Ritonavir
• Mibefradil
• Clarithromycin
• Saquinavir mesylate
• Indinavir sulfate
• Erythromycin
• Nefazodone hydrochloride
• Fluconazole
• Diltiazem hydrochloride
• Alfentanil hydrochloride
• Carbamazepine
• Cyclosporine
• Tacrolimus
• Lovastatin
• Simvastatin
• Any other drug known to be a potent inhibitor of cytochrome 3A4
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy or investigational agents