Photodynamic Therapy Using HPPH in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer That Blocks the Air Passages
Condition: Lung Cancer
MeSH terms: Lung Neoplasms
Intervention: HPPH; endoscopic procedure
Intervention description: 4 mg/m2 IV; Treatment with 150 joules from laser
Phase: Phase 2
Study type: Interventional
Primary purpose: Treatment
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Enrollment: 6.0
Sex: All
Minimum age: 18 Years
Healthy volunteers: No
Keywords: adenocarcinoma of the lung; large cell lung cancer; squamous cell lung cancer; recurrent non-small cell lung cancer; stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer; stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer; stage IV non-small cell lung cancer

Summary:

      RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy uses a drug, such as HPPH, that becomes active when it is
      exposed to a certain kind of light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. This may
      be an effective treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer that blocks the air
      passages.

      PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well photodynamic therapy using HPPH works in
      treating patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer that blocks the air passages.
    

Eligibility criteria:

        DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

          -  Biopsy confirmed advanced obstructing endobronchial non-small cell lung cancer

               -  May have squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or large cell carcinoma
                  histology

          -  Ineligible for or refused surgical resection

          -  Local endobronchial recurrence after prior surgical resection, radiotherapy, or
             chemotherapy allowed

          -  No evidence of tumor encasement of major pulmonary vessels on CT scan of the chest

        PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

          -  Karnofsky performance status (PS) 50-100% OR ECOG PS 0-2

          -  WBC ≥ 4,000/mm³

          -  Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³

          -  Prothrombin time < 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

          -  Total bilirubin ≤ 2.0 mg/dL

          -  Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL

          -  Alkaline phosphatase (hepatic) ≤ 3 times ULN

          -  SGOT ≤ 3 times ULN

          -  No contraindications for bronchoscopy

          -  Not pregnant or nursing

          -  Negative pregnancy test

          -  Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after the
             completion of study treatment

          -  Patients with underlying lung disease must be judged (by the principal investigator)
             able to withstand mucous/debris formation at the site of treatment

          -  Patients who cannot breathe due to complete upper airway obstruction and who need
             emergency treatment to open the airway are not eligible

          -  No porphyria or hypersensitivity to porphyrin or porphyrin-like compounds

          -  No severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that, in the opinion of the
             investigator, would preclude multiple bronchoscopies

          -  No partial central airway obstruction from mucous/debris formation

          -  No high-grade upper airway obstruction of the trachea

        PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

          -  Any type of prior therapy (e.g., chemotherapy or radiotherapy) for lung cancer allowed

          -  At least 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent chemotherapy or radiotherapy