Slow accrual

Current therapies for Stage IV lung cancer provide very limited benefit to the patient. The anti-cancer properties of Antineoplaston therapy suggest that it may prove beneficial in the treatment of Stage IV lung cancer.

PURPOSE: This study is being performed to determine the effects (good and bad) that Antineoplaston therapy has on patients with Stage IV lung cancer.

OVERVIEW: This is a single arm, open-label study in which patients with Stage IV lung cancer patients receive gradually escalating doses of intravenous Antineoplaston therapy (Atengenal + Astugenal) until the maximum tolerated dose is reached. Treatment continues up to12 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

OBJECTIVES:

• To determine the efficacy of Antineoplaston therapy in patients with Stage IV lung cancer, as measured by an objective response to therapy (complete response, partial response or stable disease).
• To determine the safety and tolerance of Antineoplaston therapy in patients with Stage IV lung cancer.
• To determine objective response, tumor size is measured utilizing MRI scans, which are performed every 8 weeks for the first two years, every 3 months for the third and fourth years, every 6 months for the 5th and sixth years, and annually thereafter.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed stage IV adenocarcinoma of the lung that is unlikely to respond to existing therapy and for which no curative therapy exists
• Measurable disease by MRI or CT scan

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

• At least 2 months

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 50,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

• No hepatic insufficiency
• Bilirubin no greater than 2.5 mg/dL
• SGOT/SGPT no greater than 5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL
• No renal insufficiency
• No history of renal conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Cardiovascular:

• No chronic heart disease that would preclude study treatment
• No history of chronic heart failure
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No history of congestive heart failure
• No history of cardiovascular conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Pulmonary:

• No lung disease that would preclude study treatment
• No serious lung disease (e.g., severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Neurologic:

• No neurological disease that would preclude study treatment

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation
• No gastrointestinal or psychiatric disease that would preclude study treatment
• No active infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent immunomodulatory agents

Chemotherapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas) and recovered
• No concurrent antineoplastic agents

Endocrine therapy:

• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed

Radiotherapy:

• At least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

• Not specified

Other:

• Prior cytodifferentiating agents allowed
• No prior antineoplaston therapy