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 Pancreatic 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.

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 to 12 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. Cancer patients receive gradually escalating doses of intravenous Antineoplaston therapy (Atengenal + Astugenal) until the maximum tolerated dose is reached. Treatment continues up to 12 months in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed large cell, undifferentiated, or poorly differentiated stage IV lung cancer unlikely to have a curative response to existing standard regimens

• Measurable disease by MRI or CT scan

  • At least 2 cm in diameter

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:

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

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 severe heart disease
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No history of congestive heart failure
• No history of other cardiovascular conditions that contraindicate high dosages of sodium

Pulmonary:

• No severe lung disease (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

Other:

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study participation
• No serious active infections
• No other concurrent serious disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy and recovered
• No concurrent immunomodulating agent

Chemotherapy:

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

Endocrine therapy:

• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed

Radiotherapy:

• At least 8 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Surgery:

• Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

• No prior antineoplaston therapy
• Prior cytodifferentiating agent allowed

4 years, 8 months

Nine patients were recruited between April 1996 and November 2000. All study subjects were seen at the Burzynski Clinic in Houston TX.