E7389 in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Progressive Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) * Stage IIIB or IV disease * Recurrent or progressive disease * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan * Must have received prior treatment with platinum-based therapy and a taxane * Asymptomatic brain metastasis allowed provided off steroids for \> 2 weeks * Zubrod performance status (PS) ≤ 2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100% * Life expectancy \> 3 months * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal * Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No uncontrolled illness including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Ongoing or active infection * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Cardiac arrhythmia * Psychiatric illness or social situations that would preclude study compliance * No other concurrent investigational agents * At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) and recovered * At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy, including palliative radiotherapy, and recovered * No more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for NSCLC in the metastatic or adjuvant setting * No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients Exclusion Criteria: * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition to E7389