Rebeccamycin Analog as Second-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Limited-Stage or Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer That Relapsed After Previous First-Line Chemotherapy

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

Limited or extensive stage
At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion at least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
Sensitive* relapsed disease after only 1 prior chemotherapy regimen

Brain metastasis allowed provided the following criteria are met:

Stable brain disease
Not receiving irradiation
No steroid requirement to control symptoms
Performance status - ECOG 0-2
Performance status - Karnofsky 60-100%
At least 12 weeks
Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
AST and ALT < 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver involvement is present)
Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
Creatinine < 2.0 mg/dL
Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
No symptomatic congestive heart failure
No unstable angina pectoris
No cardiac arrhythmia
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
No active or ongoing infection
No other concurrent uncontrolled illness
No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance
See Disease Characteristics
See Disease Characteristics
See Disease Characteristics
Prior radiotherapy allowed
No other concurrent investigational agents
No other concurrent therapies for SCLC
No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients