Trans Retinoic Acid (Vesanoid) With Chemotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer

- Measurable disease

- No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- Over 18

Performance status:

- Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Absolute granulocyte count greater than 2,000/mm^3

- Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- AST and ALT less than 2.5 times ULN (unless attributed to liver metastases)

Renal:

- Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL AND/OR

- Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- No myocardial infarction within past 6 months

- No congestive heart failure

- No uncontrolled arrhythmia

Other:

- No other concurrent or prior malignancy within past 5 years except localized basal
cell or squamous cell skin cancer

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- Not specified

Chemotherapy:

- No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy with clearly progressive disease

- Concurrent palliative radiotherapy allowed if no evidence of disease progression

Surgery:

- Not specified