Perifosine in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced, Unresectable, or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas Locally advanced, unresectable, or metastatic disease Measurable disease No known brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic WBC at least 3,500/mm^3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL Hepatic AST no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Bilirubin no greater than 2 times ULN Renal Creatinine no greater than 1.4 mg/dL Cardiovascular No symptomatic congestive heart failure No unstable angina pectoris No cardiac arrhythmia Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No ongoing or active infection No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance No other concurrent illness that would preclude study participation PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer More than 6 months since prior chemotherapy for other diseases Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered Surgery At least 4 weeks since prior surgery and recovered Other No other concurrent investigational agents for pancreatic cancer No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients