Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Chronic neuropathic pain with diagnosis of cancer or AIDS

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Over 18

Performance status:

- Not specified

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Not specified

Hepatic:

- SGOT no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

- No clinical history of infarction or angina

- No advanced heart failure

- No sick sinus syndrome, intraventricular conduction disease, second or third degree
AV block or arrhythmias requiring treatment (exception may be granted by cardiac
consult)

- No focal wall motion abnormalities

- Ejection fraction at least 40%

- Systolic blood pressure at least 90 mm Hg

Other:

- Must be able to take oral medication

- No known allergy or adverse reaction to flecainide, mexilitene or any other type I
antiarrhythmic drug

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- At least 2 weeks since prior chemotherapy that may cause neuropathy

Endocrine therapy:

- At least 2 weeks since prior corticosteroids

Radiotherapy:

- Not specified

Surgery:

- Not specified

Other:

- No tricyclic antidepressant treatment within past 2 weeks

- No concurrent use of flecainide, mexiletene or any other type I antiarrhythmic drug