OBJECTIVES: I. Determine whether patients with metastatic ovarian and non-small cell lung cancer receiving carboplatin and paclitaxel have significantly fewer neuropathic events when treated with amifostine.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized, parallel group, double blind, controlled study. Patients are randomized to either the amifostine or control group. All patients receive intravenous paclitaxel over 3 hours, followed by carboplatin once every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. Patients who are randomized to the amifostine group receive intravenous amifostine administered as a 15 minute infusion 30 minutes prior to paclitaxel therapy. Patients randomized to the control group receive an intravenous placebo solution. Patients are discontinued from the study if they have disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects after 2 cycles of treatment. Patients are followed monthly for 8 months post treatment.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 80 patients will be accrued (40 with advanced ovarian cancer and 40 with advanced non-small cell lung cancer) within 2 years.
