Cisplatin, Capecitabine, Gemcitabine and Epirubicin or Docetaxel for Patients With Stage III or IV Pancreatic Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, capecitabine, gemcitabine hydrochloride, epirubicin hydrochloride, and docetaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether cisplatin, capecitabine, and gemcitabine hydrochloride are more effective when given together with epirubicin hydrochloride or docetaxel in treating patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving cisplatin, capecitabine, and gemcitabine hydrochloride together with epirubicin hydrochloride compared with giving cisplatin, capecitabine, and gemcitabine hydrochloride together with docetaxel and to see how well it works in treating patients with stage III or stage IV pancreatic cancer.