DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic or periampullary adenocarcinoma Patients may have evidence of hepatic or other intra-abdominal or systemic metastases if they have dominant symptomatology from the locally unresectable component of disease Prior treatment with 1 chemotherapy regimen required Palliative bypass procedures without resection allowed Bidimensionally measurable disease on CT or MRI scan