S0124: Cisplatin Combined With Irinotecan or Etoposide For Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed extensive stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
• Measurable or evaluable disease by CT scan, MRI, x-ray, physical exam, or nuclear exam
• Brain metastases allowed if previously treated with radiotherapy and/or surgery and are neurologically stable (i.e., no progressing symptoms and off steroids and anticonvulsants)
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• Zubrod 0-1
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST or ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Renal
• Creatinine normal
• Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• HIV negative
• No concurrent AIDS-related illness
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No prior biologic therapy for SCLC
• No filgrastim (G-CSF) within 24 hours of chemotherapy
• Chemotherapy
• No prior systemic chemotherapy for SCLC
• Endocrine therapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Radiotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 21 days since prior brain radiotherapy and recovered
• No other prior radiotherapy for SCLC
• Surgery
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 21 days since prior thoracic or other major surgery and recovered
• Other
• No concurrent enzyme inducing antiepileptic drugs (phenytoin, phenobarbital, oxcarboxepine, or carbamazepine)