Antineoplaston Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage IV Lung Cancer

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.

Eligibility Criteria:
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