Three Different Radiation Therapy Regimens in Treating Patients With Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer Receiving Cisplatin and Etoposide

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically documented small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

  • Limited-stage disease

    • Disease restricted to one hemithorax with regional lymph node metastases, including ipsilateral hilar, ipsilateral and contralateral mediastinal, and ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph nodes

• The following patients are not eligible:

  • Patients with disease involvement of the contralateral hilar or supraclavicular lymph nodes
  • Patients with pleural effusions that are visible on plain chest radiographs, whether cytologically positive or not
  • Patients with cytologically positive pleural or pericardial fluid, regardless of the appearance on plain x-ray
• Measurable disease, defined as at least one unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 2 cm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 1 cm by spiral CT scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2
• Granulocytes ≥ 1,500/µl
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/µl
• Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST ≤ 2.0 times ULN
• Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 70 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Patients may have received one and only one course of chemotherapy prior to enrolling on CALGB 30610, which must have included cisplatin and etoposide

  • If a patient has had one course of cisplatin/etoposide prior to registration, the patient must have had all of the prior-to-registration tests prior to starting their first course of chemotherapy
  • Registration to CALGB-30610 must take place within 14-21 days after the start of the non-protocol therapy; failing to do all of the above will make the patient NOT eligible for CALGB-30610
• No prior radiotherapy or chemotherapy (except for the chemotherapy described above) for SCLC
• No prior mediastinal or thoracic radiotherapy
• No prior complete surgical resection of SCLC