VNP40101M in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Locally Advanced or Metastatic Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Cytologically confirmed small cell lung cancer

  • Locally advanced or metastatic disease
  • Recurrent or progressive disease after first-line standard cytotoxic therapy
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• Brain metastasis allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy ≥ 2 months
• Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• Bilirubin ≤ 2.5 mg/dL
• AST and ALT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active uncontrolled bleeding
• No active infection
• Must not require supplemental oxygen at rest
• No active heart disease
• No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
• No uncontrolled congestive heart failure
• No uncontrolled arrhythmias
• No uncontrolled coronary artery disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics

• More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy, biologic therapy or chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C)

  • Prior radiotherapy within the past 3 weeks allowed if exposure involves no more than 30% of bones with significant bone marrow-producing capabilities (e.g., vertebral bodies and long bones)
• At least 2 weeks since prior surgery or hormonal therapy
• Must not require any immediate palliative treatment including surgery

• Must have recovered from prior anticancer therapy

  • Persistent, stable chronic toxic effects ≤ grade 1 are allowed
• No more than 1 prior systemic chemotherapy regimen for locally advanced or metastatic disease
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational agent
• No concurrent disulfiram