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

Inclusion Criteria

• •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