Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer That Can Be Removed By Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma

  * No histology other than adenocarcinoma (e.g., neuroendocrine cancer or acinar cancer)

    * Patients with adenosquamous variants are eligible
* Radiographically resectable pancreatic cancer, as determined by a surgical oncologist

  * No metastatic or locally unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma
* No evidence of distant metastases by CT scan

  * Negative or pending laparoscopy for distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* ECOG performance status 0-2
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Bilirubin ≤ 4.0 mg/dL (if \> 3.0, stented and known to be declining)
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.6 mg/dL
* INR \< 1.5 (therapeutic INR is allowed for patients receiving therapeutic anticoagulation)
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study therapy
* No active infection, except for resolving cholangitis, that would preclude study enrollment

  * Neoadjuvant therapy may only be initiated when acute cholangitis has resolved
* No other malignancy within the past 3 years except for curatively treated basal cell carcinoma of the skin, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, or localized prostate cancer with a PSA of \< 5.0 ng/mL within ≥ 4 weeks of study entry (other circumstances with a recent concurrent or active malignancy will be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis by the principle investigator \[PI\] or co-PI)
* No known hypersensitivity to any of the components of oxaliplatin or gemcitabine
* No hypersensitivity to CT scan IV contrast dye not suitable for premedication
* No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No known HIV or hepatitis B or C infection (active, previously treated, or both)
* No other medical condition, including mental illness or substance abuse that, deemed by the investigator, would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No prior radiotherapy to \> 25% of bone marrow
* More than 30 days since prior and no other concurrent investigational therapy
* No other prior therapy for pancreatic cancer
* No other concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy during neoadjuvant therapy
* Concurrent low molecular weight heparin or warfarin, where medically indicated, allowed