Intervention: Erlotinib
Trial phase: Phase 2
ATC code: L01EB02 | L01XE03
SMILES: C#Cc1cccc(Nc2ncnc3cc(OCCOC)c(OCCOC)cc23)c1
Sex: All
Age groups: Adult | Older Adult
Healthy volunteers: No
Participants at risk: 6
Group description: Patients receive erlotinib hydrochloride PO QD for 21-42 days. Patients then proceed to surgery.

erlotinib hydrochloride: Given PO

conventional surgery: Undergo pancreatectomy

immunohistochemistry staining method: Correlative studies

protein expression analysis: Correlative studies

biopsy: Correlative studies

pharmacological study: Correlative studies

laboratory biomarker analysis: Correlative studies
Eligibility criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

Confirmed IPMN histological diagnosis, endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) core biopsy tissue specimen with plan for pancreatic surgical resection; histological diagnosis should be within 6 months of entry into protocol
Patients must have adequate bone marrow function at study entry
White blood cell (WBC) > 3,000
Platelets > 100,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin > 10 g/dL
Plasma creatinine of < 1.6 mg/dL
Total bilirubin < 1.5
Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) < 1.5 x upper limit of normal
Patients with evidence of obstructive lung disease (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1] < 80% predicted and FEV1/forced vital capacity [FVC] ratio < 90% of predicted value) as the etiology of a low diffusing capacity will still be eligible as long as the chest radiograph or computed tomography (CT) does not demonstrate interstitial changes
Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1
Women of child-bearing potential and men taking study drug must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation
Ability to understand, as well as sign the written informed consent document
If a woman of child-bearing potential, must have a negative pregnancy test prior to study entry; should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her study physician immediately

Exclusion Criteria:

Intake of EGFR antagonist, Erbitux (cetuximab)
Previous history of sensitivity to Tarceva (erlotinib hydrochloride), Iressa (gefitinib), or Erbitux, such as a rash that is uncontrollable by topical steroids and/or antibiotics
Uncontrollable diarrhea of any cause
Active keratoconjunctivitis, or corneal surgery in the past three weeks
Participants taking a known cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP 3A4) inducer (e.g., phenytoin, carbamazepine, St. John's wort, and rifampin) and medications known to be inhibitors or metabolized by CYP3A4; these inhibitors include erythromycin, clarithromycin and ketoconazole, and patients taking them will be excluded since these drugs may be expected to result in altered exposure of Erlotinib
Hospitalization within the past 5 years for mania or for bipolar disease
Participants may not be receiving any other investigational pharmaceutical agents
Women who are breast-feeding should not receive Erlotinib
Any medical or psychosocial condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, could jeopardize the subject's participation in and compliance to the study