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

Inclusion criteria

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