Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Unresectable Locally Advanced or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed epithelial carcinoma of the pancreas Unresectable* locally advanced or metastatic disease NOTE: *Documented by high-quality contrast-enhanced CT scan No known or clinical evidence of CNS metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status ECOG 0-1 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic SGOT or SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN Renal Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ No unstable or serious medical condition No psychiatric disorder that would preclude giving informed consent PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy No prior chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer Prior fluorouracil as a radiosensitizer allowed Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy More than 6 weeks since prior radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer Disease must have progressed after completion of radiotherapy Surgery More than 14 days since prior major surgery and recovered Other More than 30 days since prior investigational agents