S0802 - Topotecan With or Without Aflibercept in Treating Patients With Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

This randomized phase II trial is studying topotecan to see how well it works when given with or without aflibercept in treating patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as topotecan, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Combinations of biological substances in aflibercept may be able to carry tumor-killing substances directly to small cell lung cancer cells. Aflibercept may also stop the growth of small cell lung cancer by blocking blood flow to the tumor. It is not yet known whether topotecan is more effective with or without aflibercept in treating patients with small cell lung cancer.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the efficacy of topotecan hydrochloride with vs without aflibercept (ziv-aflibercept), in terms of progression-free survival at 3 months, in patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer previously treated with platinum-based therapy. SECONDARY OBEJCTIVES: I. Assess the response rate (confirmed and unconfirmed, complete and partial responses) in a subset of patients with measurable disease. II. Assess the overall survival of these patients. III. Evaluate the frequency and severity of toxicities of these regimens in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to response to prior platinum-based therapy (platinum-sensitive disease vs platinum-refractory disease). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. ARM I: Patients receive ziv-aflibercept IV over 1 hour on day 1 and topotecan hydrochloride IV over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with responsive or stable disease after 4 courses may then receive ziv-aflibercept IV on day 1 and topotecan hydrochloride IV on days 1 and 8. Treatment repeats every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM II: Patients receive topotecan hydrochloride IV over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with responsive or stable disease after 4 courses may then receive topotecan hydrochloride IV on days 1 and 8. Treatment repeats every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study therapy, patients are followed periodically for up to 2 years.