Docetaxel and Flavopiridol in Treating Patients With Refractory Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Inclusion criteria

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas * Evidence of metastatic disease * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 lesion that can be accurately measured in ≥ 1 dimension (longest diameter to be recorded) as ≥ 20mm with conventional techniques or as ≥ 10 mm with spiral CT scan * The primary site is not a measurable lesion * Documented progression with measurable metastatic disease including any 1 of the following criteria: * Receiving adjuvant therapy for resected disease * Receiving therapy for locally advanced disease * Within 3 months of completing adjuvant therapy or therapy for locally advanced disease * On 1 prior regimen in the metastatic setting * No documented brain metastases * Karnofsky performance status (PS) 80-100% OR ECOG PS 0-1 * WBC ≥ 2,500/mm³ * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST and ALT \< 2.5 times ULN * Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN * No history of allergic reactions to compounds of similar chemical orbiological composition to flavopiridol * No known allergy to docetaxel or medications formulated in polysorbate 80 (Tween 80) * No uncontrolled diabetes * No uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Cardiac arrhythmia or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * Rate-controlled atrial fibrillation stable for ≥ 6 months allowed * Psychiatric illness or social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after completion of study treatment * No peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1 * No immune deficiency * Atl east 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas, carmustine, or mitomycin C) and recovered * At least 2 weeks since prior targeted therapy (e.g., antiangiogenic therapy \[e.g., bevacizumab\] or epidermal growth factor receptor \[EGFR\] tyrosine kinase inhibitor \[e.g., erlotinib hydrochloride\]) and recovered * At least 4 weeks since prior radiation therapy * No prior docetaxel or flavopiridol * No other concurrent chemotherapy or investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer agents or therapies * No concurrent commonly used vitamins, antioxidants, orherbal preparations or supplements * Single-tablet multivitamin allowed * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients