3-AP and Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer
• * Metastatic disease
• Progressive disease after no more than 2 prior cytotoxic regimens containing at least 1 of the following drugs:
• * Cisplatin
• * Carboplatin
• * Taxane
• * Vinorelbine
• Measurable disease
• No CNS metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 and over
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-1
• Life expectancy
• More than 3 months
• Hematopoietic
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• ALT and AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
• Chronic viral hepatitis allowed
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 2.0 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular
• No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
• No uncontrolled congestive heart failure
• No uncontrolled coronary artery disease
• No uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias
• Pulmonary
• No dyspnea at rest
• No supplemental oxygen dependence
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study participation
• No active infection
• No other prior or concurrent malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix previously treated by cone biopsy and/or resection, nonmetastatic basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, or any stage I malignancy curatively resected more than 5 years ago
• No other concurrent life-threatening illness
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Prior non-cytotoxic biologic regimens allowed (e.g., vaccines, antibodies, cytokines, or small molecule cell signaling inhibitors)
• Chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) and recovered
• No prior gemcitabine
• No prior 3-AP
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery
• More than 3 weeks since prior surgery and recovered
• Other
• More than 3 weeks since prior non-cytotoxic regimens