Tissue Pharmacokinetics of Intraoperative Gemcitabine in Resectable Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Cytologic or histologic proof of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is required. Patients with Islet cell tumors are not eligible.
2. Patients do not have known metastases.
3. Patients must have potentially resectable pancreatic cancer and have agreed to undergo surgical resection at M D Anderson Cancer Center. They will have undergone staging (physical examination, chest x-ray, contrast enhanced CT or MRI (if CT contraindicated) and/or angiogram to determine resectability. Potentially resectable is defined as:No extra-pancreatic disease; No evidence (on CT/MRI) of tumor extension to the celiac axis or SMA; No evidence (CT/MRI or angiogram) of occlusion of the SMV or SMPV confluence.
4. Patients with a Karnofsky performance status greater than 70 are eligible.
5. There will be no upper age restriction. Patients less than 18 years of age are excluded from the protocol because adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is rarely seen in the pediatric population.
6. Adequate renal, and bone marrow function: Leukocytes \>= 3,000/uL; Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/uL; Platelets \>= 100,000/Ul; Serum creatinine \<= 2.0 mg/dL.
7. Adequate Hepatic function (endoscopic or percutaneous drainage as needed): Total bilirubin \< = 3 X institutional upper limits of normal (ULN); AST (SGOT)/ALT (SGPT) \<= 5 X institutional ULN.
8. Patients must have no fever or evidence of infection or other coexisting medical condition that would preclude administration of gemcitabine. Patients with uncontrolled congestive heart failure, unstable angina and myocardial infarction within 3 months will be excluded.
9. Patient is not pregnant. Women of childbearing potential (defined as those who have not undergone a hysterectomy or who have not been postmenopausal for at least 24 consecutive months) must agree to practice adequate contraception and to refrain from breast-feeding, as specified in the informed consent.
10. Patients must sign a study-specific consent form.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patient has received preoperative chemotherapy and/or radiation.
2. Major cardiovascular or pulmonary comorbidity that precludes use of general anesthesia.
3. Identification of metastatic disease.
4. Inability to comply with study and/or follow-up procedures.
5. Patients \< 18 years of age.