Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
• •* No squamous cell carcinoma
• •Untreated Stage IIIB or IV disease not suitable for surgery or radiotherapy OR patients with postoperative recurrence who had never been treated by chemotherapy
• •No history of smoking or light smoking (\< 10 packs a year and smoking abatement ≥ 15 years)
• •At least 1 measurable tumor mass (length \> 1.5 cm and width \> 1.0 cm)
• •No symptomatic brain metastases
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •ECOG performance status 0-1
• •Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 2 x 10\^9/L
• •Platelet count ≥ 100 x 10\^9/L
• •ALT and AST ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Total bilirubin ≤1.5 times ULN
• •Serum creatinine normal
• •Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• •No other malignant tumors within the past year except for basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ malignant cancer that has been completely resected
• •No history of allergic reaction to any component of the drugs in this study
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •See Disease Characteristics
• •At least 1 month since prior investigational drugs or medical devices
• •No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this tumor
• •No concurrent liposomal paclitaxel
• •No other concurrent antitumor therapy (e.g., radiotherapy or surgical treatment)
• •No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy drugs or anticancer Chinese herbs