Suberoylanilide Hydroxamic Acid in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB, Stage IV, or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  • Stage IV disease
  • Stage IIIB disease with malignant pleural effusion
  • Recurrent disease
• Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• Previously treated with 1, and only 1, cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen for Stage IIIB or IV or recurrent disease
• Brain metastases allowed provided they are clinically and radiologically stable for 4 weeks after treatment with surgery and/or radiotherapy AND there is no requirement for steroids

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• Over 18

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1 OR
• Karnofsky 70-100%

Life expectancy

• More than 3 months

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin normal
• AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

• No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• No unstable angina pectoris
• No cardiac arrhythmia

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception before, during, and for 3 months after completion of study treatment
• No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
• No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer
• No ongoing or active infection
• No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
• No history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition of study drug
• No other uncontrolled illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to the only site of measurable disease unless there is subsequent disease progression

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics

Other

• At least 2 weeks since prior valproic acid
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy