Cilengitide and Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Brain Metastases From Lung Cancer (CIRAB)

Inclusion Criteria:

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed lung cancer (small cell or non-small cell lung cancer)
• Patient must be eligible for whole-brain radiotherapy
• Presence of brain metastasis (single or multiple, synchronous or metachronous) from lung cancer not amenable to surgery or radiosurgery (presence of metastases at any other site is allowed)
• No leptomeningeal metastasis or known subarachnoid spread of tumor

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 (ECOG PS 2 allowed if due to the presence of cerebral metastases and not due to a high peripheral-tumor load or other reasons)
• Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
• Adequate hematologic function
• Total bilirubin < 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST, ALT, and alkaline phosphatase < 2.5 times ULN
• Creatinine clearance > 60 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of study treatment
• No history of acute or chronic renal disease
• No other malignancies treated within the past 5 years, except adequately treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell carcinoma of the skin
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No history of coagulation disorder associated with bleeding or recurrent thrombotic events
• No peptic ulcer disease within the past 6 months
• No congestive heart failure, high risk for uncontrolled arrhythmia, or history of clinically significant coronary heart disease
• No known alcohol or drug abuse
• No other significant or acute concomitant disease
• No dementia or altered mental status

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Concurrent corticosteroids allowed if the dosing regimen has ben stable ≥ 5 days
• Concurrent anticonvulsants allowed if the dosing regimen has been stable for the past week
• More than 30 days since prior participation in another clinical trial
• No concurrent anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists, therapeutic-dose anticoagulation with heparin resulting in prolonged PTT, or therapeutic-dose anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin (low-dose [i.e. prophylactic], low molecular weight heparins allowed)
• No prior whole-brain radiation or radiosurgery
• No prior antiangiogenic therapy
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy