OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, dose escalation study of gemcitabine. Patients receive oxaliplatin IV over 2 hours on day 1 and gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8. Treatment continues every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of gemcitabine in combination with a fixed dose of oxaliplatin until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose at which no more than 1 of 6 patients experiences dose limiting toxicity.