Paclitaxel and Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed metastatic non-small cell lung cancer for which no curative therapy exists
• •Stage IIIB with pleural effusion allowed
• •Measurable or evaluable disease
• •CNS metastases allowed if disease stable at least 4 weeks following completion of surgery and/or radiotherapy and no anticonvulsant required
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •Over 18
• •Performance status:
• •ECOG 0-2
• •Life expectancy:
• •At least 3 months
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin less than 2.0 mg/dL
• •SGOT no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (no greater than 5 times ULN if tumor involves liver)
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine clearance at least 70 mL/min
• •Other:
• •No other malignancies within past 3 years except nonmelanomatous skin cancer and carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• •HIV negative
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective birth control
• •No active infection
• •No concurrent medical condition that would preclude study participation
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy:
• •No prior systemic chemotherapy for lung cancer
• •No prior irinotecan or paclitaxel
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 4 weeks since prior wide field radiotherapy
• •No prior radiotherapy to greater than 20% of bone marrow allowed
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Recovered from prior surgery