Photodynamic Therapy Using HPPH in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer That Blocks the Air Passages

OBJECTIVES: Primary * To determine the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using HPPH in patients with advanced obstructing endobronchial non-small cell lung cancer. Secondary * To determine palliation of symptoms in patients treated with this regimen. * To determine the amount of HPPH taken up by the obstructing endobronchial tumors in these patients. * To determine the extent of STAT3 cross-links, which are molecular markers of immediate PDT reaction, in the obstructing tumors of these patients before and after PDT treatment. * To determine inflammation and apoptosis in the obstructing bronchial tumors of these patients before and after PDT treatment. OUTLINE: Patients receive HPPH IV over 1 hour on day 1. On day 3, patients undergo photodynamic therapy (PDT) comprising laser light delivered by flexible, fiberoptic fibers passed through the biopsy channel of an endoscope. Patients undergo endoscopic debridement on day 5. If viable tumor is found outside of the initial treatment area, patients may receive another dose of laser light without additional HPPH. Patients may undergo tumor biopsies periodically during study for optional biomarker/correlative studies. Tumor tissue samples are analyzed for STAT3 cross-links by western blotting; apoptosis and inflammation biomarkers by immunohistochemistry, TUNEL, and other immunological laboratory methods; and tumor concentrations of HPPH by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed at 4-6 weeks and then periodically thereafter.