Nitrocamptothecin in Treating Patients With Advanced Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven advanced (extensive stage) small cell lung cancer with progressive or recurrent disease after 1 first line chemotherapy regimen
• Sensitive disease, defined as a response to prior chemotherapy lasting at least 3 months from the end of all prior treatment, including radiotherapy, until the time of progression OR
• Refractory disease, defined as no response to prior chemotherapy, or a response to prior chemotherapy followed by progression within 3 months after completion of all prior therapy, including radiotherapy
• Minimum of 1 target lesion that can be accurately measured in at least 1 dimension
• 20 mm or more with conventional techniques OR
• 10 mm or more with spiral CT scans
• No symptomatic brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• Neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, and SGPT no greater than 2.5 time ULN (no greater than 5 times ULN if hepatic metastases present)

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.7 mg/dL

Cardiovascular:

• No ischemic heart disease within the past 6 months
• Normal 12 lead electrocardiogram

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy except cone biopsied carcinoma of the cervix or adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
• No unstable systemic disease or active uncontrolled infection
• No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that may preclude compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Prior maintenance therapy with biologic agents following first line chemotherapy allowed
• No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) with nitrocamptothecin

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Greater than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
• No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for extensive disease
• Alternate or sequential use of different regimens without interruption in first line treatment is considered 1 first line therapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Greater than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery:

• Greater than 2 weeks since prior major surgery

Other:

• No other concurrent anticancer therapy
• No other concurrent investigational therapy