Sorafenib, Cisplatin, and Etoposide in Treating Patients With Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Diagnosis of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer

No untreated brain metastases

No active symptoms related to brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

ECOG performance status 0-2
Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
ALT and AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN (≤ 5 times ULN for patients with liver involvement)
Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
INR < 1.5 or PT/PTT normal

No history of cardiac disease, including any of the following:

NYHA class III-IV congestive heart failure
Unstable angina (i.e., anginal symptoms at rest)
Onset of angina within the past 3 months
Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
No cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy
No uncontrolled hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) > 150 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 90 mm Hg, despite optimal medical management
No thrombolic or embolic events, such as cerebrovascular accident or transient ischemic attacks, within the past 6 months
No pulmonary hemorrhage/bleeding event ≥ CTCAE grade 2 within the past 4 weeks
No other hemorrhage/bleeding event ≥ CTCAE grade 3 within the past 4 weeks
No known HIV infection or chronic hepatitis B or C infection
No active clinically serious infection > CTCAE grade 2
No serious non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
No evidence or history of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
No significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks
No known or suspected allergy to sorafenib tosylate or to any other drug given during the study
No condition that would impair the patient's ability to swallow whole pills
No known malabsorption problem
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test

Fertile patients must use effective barrier contraception

Male patients must use effective contraception during and for ≥ 3 months after completion of sorafenib tosylate

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Prior radiotherapy to the brain allowed
No prior chemotherapy
More than 4 weeks since prior major surgery or open biopsy
No concurrent Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) or rifampin
Concurrent anti-coagulation treatment, such as warfarin or heparin, allowed