Ganitumab and Gemcitabine Hydrochloride Followed by Radiation Therapy, Ganitumab, Capecitabine, and Maintenance Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Cancer of the Pancreas

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Pathologically confirmed (histologic or cytologic) locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

  * Patients must have unresectable disease based on institutional standardized criteria of unresectability or medical inoperability
* Patients with or without regional adenopathy are eligible
* No distant metastases based upon the following minimum diagnostic workup:

  * History and/or physical examination, including collection of weight and vital signs, within 28 days prior to study entry
  * Abdominal and/or pelvic CT scan with IV contrast or MRI scan within 21 days prior to study entry
  * Chest CT scan or whole-body PET/CT within 21 days prior to study entry
* No second malignancy or peritoneal seeding

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Zubrod performance status 0-1
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 10.0 g/dL (the use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve Hgb ≥ 10.0 g/dL is acceptable)
* Glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbA1c) ≤ 8%
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
* Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \< 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Total bilirubin \< 3.0 mg/dL
* Alkaline phosphatase \< 3 times ULN
* Fasting blood glucose \< 160 mg/dL

  * Patients with a non-fasting blood glucose \> 160 mg/dL (8.9 mmol/L) must have a fasting blood glucose ≤ 160 mg/dL (8.9 mmol/L) in order to be eligible
* No grade 2 or worse hearing impairment
* Negative serum pregnancy test (if applicable)
* Women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active must be willing/able to use medically acceptable forms of contraception during the course of the study, and for 3 months (6 months for men) after the last study drug administration
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Ability to swallow oral medications
* At least 3 years since prior malignancy except non-melanomatous skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix
* No severe active co-morbidity, defined as any of the following:

  * Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months
  * Transmural myocardial infarction within 6 months prior to study entry
  * Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration
  * Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization, or precluding study therapy within 30 days before registration
  * Uncontrolled malabsorption syndrome significantly affecting gastrointestinal function
  * Any unresolved bowel or bile duct obstruction
  * Major resection of the stomach or small bowel that could affect the absorption of capecitabine
  * Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) based upon current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition

    * HIV testing is not required for entry into this protocol
  * Existing venous thromboembolism requiring anti-coagulation therapy
* No prior allergic reaction to capecitabine or gemcitabine hydrochloride

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior systemic chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer

  * Prior chemotherapy for malignancies other than pancreatic cancer is allowed provided chemotherapy was completed \> 3 years prior to study entry
* No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields
* More than 28 days since any prior major surgery

  * Insertion of a vascular access device, insertion of a biliary stent, exploratory laparotomy, or laparoscopy are not considered major surgery
* No prior ganitumab
* Patients requiring concurrent oral anticoagulants (e.g., Coumadin, warfarin) are eligible provided there is increased vigilance with respect to monitoring international normalized ratio (INR)
* No concurrent participation in another clinical treatment trial
* No concurrent intensity-modulated radiotherapy
* No other concurrent therapy including the following:

  * Other investigational or approved chemotherapeutic agents
  * Other monoclonal antibody
  * Sorivudine or brivudine A
  * Cimetidine
  * G-CSF agents