Conditions: Lung Cancer
Keywords: stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer adenocarcinoma of the lung bronchoalveolar cell lung cancer large cell lung cancer squamous cell lung cancer
Allocation: NA | Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Enrollment: 78
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as carboplatin and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Erlotinib may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving carboplatin and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation together with radiation therapy and erlotinib may kill more tumor cells.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving carboplatin and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation together with radiation therapy and erlotinib works in treating patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.

Detailed description:
OBJECTIVES:

Primary

* To determine the activity of induction chemotherapy comprising carboplatin and paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation followed by concurrent thoracic radiotherapy and erlotinib hydrochloride in patients with poor-risk, unresectable stage IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer.

Secondary

* To determine the response rate and progression-free survival of these patients.

OUTLINE: Patients receive induction chemotherapy comprising paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 2 courses. Patient with rapid disease progression outside of the chest after induction therapy are removed from study. Patients with intrathoracic disease progression within the potential radiation field may continue protocol therapy at the discretion of the Study Chair. Patients with no disease progression outside the planned radiation field (either regional or distant) proceed to concurrent erlotinib hydrochloride and radiotherapy.

Beginning on day 43 (week 7), patients receive oral erlotinib hydrochloride once daily. Patients also undergo concurrent radiotherapy 5 days a week for up to 7 weeks (33 fractions) in the absence of rapid disease progression outside of the chest or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study therapy, patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months for up to 2 years

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive paclitaxel IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and carboplatin IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 2 courses. Patient with rapid disease progression outside of the chest after induction therapy are removed from study.

Patients with intrathoracic disease progression within the potential radiation field may continue protocol therapy at the discretion of the Study Chair. Patients with no disease progression outside the planned radiation field (either regional or distant) proceed to concurrent erlotinib hydrochloride and radiotherapy.

Beginning on day 43 (week 7), patients receive oral erlotinib hydrochloride once daily. Patients also undergo concurrent radiotherapy 5 days a week for up to 7 weeks (33 fractions) in the absence of rapid disease progression outside of the chest or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study therapy, patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months for up to 2 years

Interventions: intervention 1: carboplatin intervention 2: erlotinib hydrochloride intervention 3: paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation intervention 4: radiation therapy
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: None intervention 2: None intervention 3: None intervention 4: None

Protocol document: