ZD 1839 in Treating Patients With Stage IV or Recurrent Kidney Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically or cytologically confirmed stage IV or recurrent renal cell carcinoma not amenable to potentially curative surgery
• •Evidence of disease progression
• •Measurable disease
• •* At least 20 mm with conventional techniques OR
• •* At least 10 mm with spiral CT scan
• •No brain metastases
• •Malignant tissue available
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Performance status:
• •ECOG 0-2 OR
• •Karnofsky 60-100%
• •Life expectancy:
• •More than 2 months
• •Hematopoietic:
• •WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• •Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin normal
• •AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• •Cardiovascular:
• •No symptomatic congestive heart failure
• •No unstable angina pectoris
• •No cardiac arrhythmia
• •Other:
• •No prior allergy to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to ZD 1839
• •No ongoing or active infection
• •No other uncontrolled illness or psychiatric condition that would preclude study
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •No more than 2 prior immunotherapy (interferon alfa or interleukin-2) regimens
• •At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered
• •No concurrent immunotherapy
• •Chemotherapy:
• •No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
• •At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
• •No concurrent chemotherapy
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •Not specified
• •Radiotherapy:
• •At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
• •No concurrent radiotherapy
• •Surgery:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •Other:
• •No prior therapy for metastatic disease
• •No other concurrent investigational agents
• •No concurrent oral retinoids