Cetuximab and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer That Cannot Be Removed by Surgery

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histopathologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of inoperable, non-metastatic, locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma * No neuroendocrine tumors or lymphoma of the pancreas * No extensive disease unable to be covered in a radically treatable radiotherapy volume PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Karnofsky performance status 60-100% * Life expectancy \> 3 months * Hemoglobin ≥ 10g/dL * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³ * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ (prior transfusions for patients with low hemoglobin allowed) * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * ALT and AST ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Serum urea ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Adequate biliary drainage with no evidence of active uncontrolled infection (patients on prophylactic antibiotics are eligible) * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Women and men of child-bearing potential should be using an adequate contraception method, which must be continued for 3 months after completion of therapy * No unresolved biliary tract obstruction * No history of prior malignancy that may interfere with the response evaluation except for any of the following: * Cervical carcinoma in-situ treated by cone-biopsy/resection * Nonmetastatic basal and/or squamous cell carcinomas of the skin * Any early stage (stage I) malignancy adequately resected for cure greater than 5 years previously * No relative contraindication to radiotherapy * No evidence of severe uncontrolled systemic diseases or laboratory finding that in the view of investigator makes it undesirable for the patient to participate in the trial * No disorder likely to impact compliance with the protocol PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Must be completely recovered from previous surgery * The following prior interventions are allowed: * Non-curative operation (i.e., R2 resection with macroscopic residual disease evident on CT scan or palliative bypass procedure) * Stent insertion in the common bile duct * No previous radiotherapy within current treatment field * No previous administration of EGF monoclonal antibodies, EGFR signal transduction inhibitors or EGFR-targeted therapy