Cetuximab and Trastuzumab in Treating Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer That Progressed After Previous Treatment With Gemcitabine (THERAPY)

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

  • Progressed after first-line or adjuvant gemcitabine-based chemotherapy
• Measurable disease as assessed by RECIST criteria
• No known brain metastasis or symptomatic carcinomatous leptomeningitis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• WHO performance status 0-1
• Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
• ANC ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Total bilirubin ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• ALT/AST ≤ 5 times ULN
• LVEF ≥ 55%
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

• No significant comorbidities, including any of the following:

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Documented history of congestive heart failure
  • Uncontrolled, high-risk arrhythmia
  • Angina pectoris requiring treatment
  • Clinically significant valvular disease
  • Evidence of transmural myocardial infarction by ECG
  • Uncontrolled hypertension
  • Active bleeding
  • Clinically significant active infection
  • Severe dyspnea at rest
  • Oxygen-dependency
• No other malignancy except basal cell carcinoma of the skin
• No severe hypersensitivity to cetuximab or trastuzumab
• No medical or psychological condition that would preclude study completion or giving informed consent
• No legal incapacity or limited legal capacity

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior cetuximab or trastuzumab
• No other concurrent experimental drugs or anticancer therapy