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

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