Cisplatin or Carboplatin, and Etoposide With or Without Sunitinib Malate in Treating Patients With Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the phase II dose for sunitinib (sunitinib malate) combined with cisplatin and etoposide. (Phase IB) II. To compare the progression-free survival of patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer treated with cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide followed by maintenance sunitinib to patients receiving the same chemotherapy followed by placebo. (Phase II) SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the single agent response rate for sunitinib given as monotherapy after chemotherapy. (Phase II) II. To assess the overall survival of patients treated with cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide followed by sunitinib. (Phase II) III. To evaluate the toxicity and tolerability of maintenance sunitinib after cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide. (Phase II) IV. To determine the association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plasma levels and tumor response. (Phase II) OUTLINE: This is a phase I, dose-escalation study of sunitinib malate followed by a randomized phase II study. PHASE I (close to accrual 5/17/08): COMBINATION THERAPY: Patients receive cisplatin or carboplatin intravenously (IV) on day 1, etoposide IV on days 1-3, and sunitinib malate orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-14. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. MAINTENANCE THERAPY: Patients receive sunitinib malate PO alone QD. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. PHASE II: COMBINATION THERAPY: Patients receive cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide as in Phase I. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 6 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. MAINTENANCE THERAPY: Beginning 3-8 weeks after completion of combination chemotherapy or \>= 4 courses of combination therapy, patients with a responding or stable disease are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. All patients must be euthyroid before starting on maintenance therapy. ARM I: Patients receive sunitinib malate PO QD. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM II: Patients receive placebo PO QD. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with disease progression may cross over to Arm I. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 2 years.