Soblidotin in Treating Patients With Progressive Locally Advanced or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer
• * Locally advanced or metastatic disease
• Demonstrates tumor progression
• Must have received 1 prior chemotherapy regimen
• * Prior chemotherapy must have included a platinum agent
• Measurable disease
• * At least 1 measurable lesion outside the field of any prior radiotherapy
• No symptomatic brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• At least 12 weeks
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST/ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• Cardiac
• Ejection fraction at least 40% by MUGA
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No psychiatric disorder that would preclude giving informed consent or following study instruction
• No grade 2 or greater neurotoxicity
• No other prior malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix unless in complete remission and off therapy for that disease for at least 5 years prior to study entry
• No other concurrent severe or uncontrolled underlying medical disease that would compromise patient safety and study outcome
• No concurrent serious infection
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• No concurrent anticancer biologic therapy
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior chemotherapy
• No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy
• * Concurrent localized radiotherapy to a non-indicator lesion for pain relief is allowed provided other methods of pain control are ineffective
• Surgery
• At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered
• Other
• At least 4 weeks since prior myelosuppressive therapy
• More than 28 days since prior investigational drugs
• No other concurrent investigational drugs
• No other concurrent anticancer cytotoxic therapy