Inhaled Doxorubicin in Treating Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors Affecting the Lungs

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically proven advanced cancer not curable by standard chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery

  • Clinical evidence of primary lung or tracheal cancer OR
  • Metastatic cancer to the lung

• Extrathoracic metastases eligible if following criteria are met:

  • Sites are stable
  • Pulmonary sites are primary life-threatening sites
  • Evidence that study treatment may benefit the patient
• Measurable or evaluable disease
• No germ cell tumor, leukemia, or lymphoma involving the lungs that is treatable with systemic agents
• No complete atelectasis due to high-grade airway obstruction

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy:

• More than 3 months

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.0 mg/dL
• AST and ALT less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.6 mg/dL OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

• LVEF at least 40% by MUGA scan or echocardiogram
• No unstable angina, congestive heart failure, or symptomatic arrhythmias

Pulmonary:

• DLCO at least 50% predicted
• FVC and FEV1 at least 50% predicted
• Resting oxygen saturation at least 90%
• Exercise oxygen saturation at least 85%
• Oxygen consumption greater than 50% predicted
• No prior radiation pneumonitis
• No asthma
• No radiation-induced pulmonary damage

Other:

• No hypersensitivity to doxorubicin
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study
• HIV negative
• No congenital problems (e.g., cleft palate) or other anomalies that prevent tight fit of a mouthseal

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy and recovered
• No prior trastuzumab (Herceptin)

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy and recovered
• Prior doxorubicin allowed if LVEF at least 40% by MUGA scan or echocardiogram
• No prior mitomycin, bleomycin, or nitrosoureas
• No other concurrent systemic chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• At least 12 months since prior radiotherapy to chest
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 20% of total lung volume
• Prior chest wall or primary breast radiotherapy allowed
• Prior radioactive iodine allowed
• No concurrent thoracic radiotherapy

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior total pneumonectomy

Other:

• No other concurrent experimental drug