Afatinib Dimaleate and Capecitabine in Treating Patients With Advanced Refractory Solid Tumors, Pancreatic Cancer or Biliary Cancer

This phase I/Ib trial studies the side effects and best dose of afatinib dimaleate when given together with capecitabine in treating patients with solid tumors, pancreatic cancer, or biliary cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment and has not responded to previous treatment. Afatinib dimaleate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving afatinib dimaleate together with capecitabine may be a better treatment for solid tumors, pancreatic cancer, or biliary cancer.