Antineoplaston Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed stage IV non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be cured with existing therapeutic regimens
• Measurable disease by CT scan or MRI
• * Tumor must be at least 2 cm for the lymph nodes located in the head, neck, axillary, inguinal or femoral areas and at least 0.5 cm for other areas
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Karnofsky 60-100%
• Life expectancy:
• At least 2 months
• Hematopoietic:
• WBC at least 2,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 50,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic:
• No hepatic insufficiency
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL
• SGOT and SGPT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal
• Renal:
• No renal insufficiency
• Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular:
• No chronic heart failure
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• Pulmonary:
• No serious lung disease (e.g., severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation
• No other serious medical or psychiatric conditions
• No active infection
• No serious malabsorption syndromes
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered
• Chemotherapy:
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered
• Endocrine therapy:
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed
• Radiotherapy:
• At least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy (less than 8 weeks if multiple tumors are involved) and recovered
• Surgery:
• No prior extensive stomach or intestinal surgery
• Recovered from any prior surgery
• Other:
• Prior cytodifferentiating agents allowed
• No prior antineoplaston treatment
• No other concurrent treatment for metastatic lung cancer