Huachansu & Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Cancer

This protocol is part of a larger grant funded by the NCI to create an international research center to study traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). All of the patients enrolled in this study will be treated at the Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, our sister institution in Shanghai, China. No patients will be seen at MDACC. This protocol will be overseen by the Fudan University Institutional Review Board (IRB00002408) which has Federal Wide Assurance through the U.S. Department of Health \& Human Services (Approved: April 25, 2002). The research nurses have received training at MDACC and will receive regular oversight by MDACC personnel. Primary End Point: 1\. Determine the efficacy of huachansu as measured by progression free survival at 4 months. Secondary End Points: 1. Examine the feasibility and safety of treatment using huachansu in combination with gemcitabine in patients with pancreatic cancer. 2. Determine clinical efficacy by other measures including tumor response, 6-month survival, and changes in quality of life (QOL) in patients with pancreatic cancer. 3. Monitor patient blood levels of the three main cardiac glycosides that are in huachansu (bufalin, cinobufagin, and resibufogenin). This information will provide evidence to delineate the role of these cardiac glycosides in antitumor activity.