RATIONALE: Surgery to remove the pancreas, some of the small intestine, and lymph nodes may be more effective treatment for cancer of the pancreas than surgery to remove the pancreas and some of the small intestine alone. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy may be an effective treatment for cancer of the pancreas.