ONCONASE Plus Doxorubicin Versus Doxorubicin Alone For Patients With Malignant Pleural or Peritoneal Mesothelioma Who Have Had No More Than One Prior Chemotherapy Regimen

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed malignant pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma

  • Measurable or evaluable disease
• CALGB groups 1-4
• No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 21 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

• Not specified

Hematopoietic:

• WBC greater than 3,500/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• SGOT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal
• Bilirubin no greater than 2 mg/dL
• PT and PTT normal

Renal:

• Creatinine normal

Cardiovascular:

• No symptomatic New York Heart Association class II-IV cardiovascular disease
• No congestive heart failure
• No angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmias
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No cerebrovascular disease

Metabolic:

• No serum calcium, phosphate, electrolyte, or other metabolic abnormalities, such as metabolic acidosis

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No serious infection
• No uncontrolled psychosis or neurologic disease (e.g., seizure disorders)
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• No other primary malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No senility or emotional instability

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No more than one prior systemic chemotherapy regimen
• No prior doxorubicin
• At least 6 weeks since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• Prior radiotherapy for progressive or recurrent disease allowed except myocardium radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Prior surgical resection allowed