Iscar For Supplemental Care In Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Iscar For Supplemental Care In Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
RATIONALE: Mistletoe may help the body build an immune response and may improve quality of life to help patients live more comfortably.
PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying mistletoe to see how well it works in treating patients who are receiving palliative chemotherapy for stage IIIB or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVES:
OUTLINE: This is an open-label, non-randomized, multicenter study.
Patients receive mistletoe subcutaneously three times a week for 15 weeks.
Dose of mistletoe is increased at weeks 2 and 3 and then every 3 weeks until a maximum response is seen, dose-limiting toxicity occurs, or the study ends.
Quality of life is assessed at baseline and at weeks 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: Not specified
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
Stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer
Planning to receive standard chemotherapy with either carboplatin plus paclitaxel or cisplatin plus gemcitabine
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Age
Performance status
Life expectancy
Hematopoietic
Hepatic
Renal
Other
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
Biologic therapy
Chemotherapy
Endocrine therapy
Radiotherapy
Surgery
Other