Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer That Can Be Removed by Surgery

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To test the hypothesis that the activated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signal transduction biomarker Mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) protein expression within intraductal pancreatic mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) lesions will have greater than zero absolute mean decrease from baseline comparing pre and post 21-42 days of Erlotinib (erlotinib hydrochloride) administration at 100mg orally (PO) once daily (QD). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To test the hypothesis that other correlative IPMN EGF inducible biomarkers will have greater than zero absolute mean decrease from baseline pre and post Erlotinib 100mg PO QD therapy. II. Safety of Erlotinib treatment. III. To determine Erlotinib pharmacokinetic concentration in plasma and pancreatic tissue at the 100mg/day dose up to 42 days of therapy. OUTLINE: Patients receive erlotinib hydrochloride PO QD for 21-42 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients then undergo to pancreatectomy. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 4-20 weeks.