3-AP and Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Unresectable or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed pancreatic cancer * Unresectable or metastatic disease * Measurable disease * Outside prior radiation ports OR within prior radiation port if evidence of disease progression after radiotherapy * No CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy * More than 3 months Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (transfusion allowed) Hepatic * Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL * AST and ALT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN in the presence of liver metastases) * Chronic viral hepatitis allowed Renal * Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular * No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months * No uncontrolled congestive heart failure * No uncontrolled coronary artery disease * No uncontrolled arrhythmias Pulmonary * No dyspnea at rest * No dependence on supplemental oxygen Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation * No other malignancy except any of the following: * Carcinoma in situ of the cervix treated with cone biopsy or resection * Nonmetastatic basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer * Any stage I malignancy curatively resected more than 5 years ago * No active infection * No known or suspected glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency * No other concurrent life threatening illness PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * Prior vaccines, antibodies, cytokines, or small molecule cell signaling inhibitors allowed Chemotherapy * No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy for unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer Endocrine therapy * Not specified Radiotherapy * See Disease Characteristics * More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered * No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery * More than 3 weeks since prior surgery and recovered Other * More than 3 weeks since prior noncytotoxic treatment regimens and objective evidence of progressive disease * No other concurrent investigational drugs