DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

  • Metastatic disease

• Unidimensionally measurable disease outside of the pancreas

  • At least 1 lesion at least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• Must have received 1, and only 1, prior gemcitabine-containing regimen for metastatic disease unless disease has recurred within 6 months after treatment with neoadjuvant or adjuvant gemcitabine-containing therapy
• No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• No bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy

Hepatic

• Bilirubin no greater than upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST and ALT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• INR no greater than ULN
• PTT no greater than ULN

Renal

• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• No clinically significant renal impairment
• Urine protein:creatinine ratio ≥ 1.0

Cardiovascular

• No prior myocardial infarction
• No prior stroke
• No clinically significant cardiovascular disease
• No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., blood pressure greater than 160/110 mm Hg on medication)
• No unstable angina
• No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
• No serious cardiac dysrhythmia requiring medication
• No peripheral vascular disease

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No history or evidence of CNS disease (e.g, primary brain tumor or seizures not controlled with standard medical therapy)
• No other medical condition that would preclude study participation
• No psychiatric condition that would preclude study participation
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy that would preclude study participation
• No significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
• No serious, nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No concurrent prophylactic granulocyte or platelet growth factors

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery

• More than 7 days since prior fine needle aspirations or core biopsies
• More than 28 days since prior surgery (except closed biopsy or access port placement)
• More than 28 days since prior open biopsy
• No concurrent surgery

Other

• More than 4 weeks since prior experimental drug study participation
• More than 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs
• No other concurrent experimental drug study participation