Hospitalization Rates of Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Gemcitabine and Either Cisplatin or Carboplatin

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed inoperable non-small cell lung cancer

  • Stage IIIA, IIIB, or IV
  • Not eligible for curative radiotherapy or surgery
• No symptomatic brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Karnofsky 50-100%

Life expectancy

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

• WBC at least 3,000/mm^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if liver metastases present)

Renal

• Creatinine no greater than ULN OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study completion
• No active infection
• No serious systemic disorder that would preclude study participation
• No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy
• No significant neurological problems (e.g., seizures or psychiatric disorders)
• No other active malignancy within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy
• No other concurrent chemotherapy during or for 7 days after study therapy

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy
• No concurrent radiotherapy during or for 7 days after study therapy

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics

Other

• At least 12 weeks since prior investigational agents
• No other concurrent antitumor therapy
• No concurrent experimental medications