Between 1973 and 1983, 43 patients with histologically proven unresectable pancreatic carcinoma were irradiated in the UCLA Department of Radiation Oncology. Ten patients received irradiation alone and 33 were nonrandomly assigned to receive chemotherapy in addition to irradiation. Of those patients receiving chemotherapy, 30 were given 5-fluorouracil and three were given a combination of agents. Forty-one of the 43 patients have died with a median survival of 7 months. Actuarial survival at 1 and 2 years was 24% and 3%. Local control was achieved in three of 43 patients. Two patients are alive with no evidence of disease at 11 and 30 months. The median survivals with and without chemotherapy were 9.5 and 4 months, respectively (p = 0.06). Survival dependent on nodal status, surgical bypass, primary site, and dose are also reported. No significant differences were found. Acute complications were noted in 23 patients but were a reason for discontinuing therapy in none. Late complications were noted in nine patients. Six patients with an upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage or a small bowel obstruction all had local recurrence. There were two patients with posttreatment diabetes mellitus and one with pancreatitis. The limits of conventional therapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer have been reached. Creative sequencing of induction combination chemotherapy, newer radiation modalities, and maintenance chemotherapy are required if systemic and local progression of this lethal disease is to be eliminated.