OBJECTIVES:
Primary
* To determine changes in microvessel density of the tumor specimen after 2 weeks of treatment with genistein in patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Secondary
* To evaluate the safety and tolerability of genistein in these patients by looking at the impact of genistein on pancreatic cancer angiogenesis and on the angiogenic factors VEGF, CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL8.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.
* Arm I: Patients receive neoadjuvant oral genistein once daily for 2 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
* Arm II: Patients receive no specific neoadjuvant therapy. In both arms, patients undergo surgical resection in week 3.
Blood, urine, and tissue samples are collected at baseline and at the time of surgery for laboratory biomarker studies. Samples are analyzed for VEGF, CXCL1, CXCL5, and CXCL8 by ELISA and for genistein by mass spectrometry.
