Chemotherapy, Tirapazamine, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Overview

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Tirapazamine may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and tirapazamine may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of combining chemotherapy with tirapazamine and radiation therapy in treating patients who have stage II or stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: * Determine the maximum tolerated dose of tirapazamine when administered with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and concurrent radiotherapy in patients with stage IIB-IIIB non-small cell lung cancer. * Determine, preliminarily, the response rate and survival of patients treated with this regimen. * Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter, dose-escalation study of tirapazamine. Patients receive induction chemotherapy comprising tirapazamine IV over 2 hours and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36 and paclitaxel IV over 1 hour on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29, 32, 36, and 39. Beginning on day 1, patients undergo radiotherapy once daily 5 days a week for 6.5 weeks. Beginning 4-5 weeks after completion of radiotherapy, patients with stable or responding disease receive consolidation chemotherapy comprising paclitaxel IV over 3 hours and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 22. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of tirapazamine until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Patients are followed every 3 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Approximately 3-30 patients will be accrued for this study.

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Eligibility

Locations (2)