Carboplatin and Paclitaxel in Treating Older Patients With Metastatic or Recurrent Unresectable Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the response rate to carboplatin and paclitaxel in elderly patients
with metastatic or recurrent unresectable non-small cell lung cancer. II. Determine the
toxicity of this regimen in these patients. III. Determine if the hypothesized lack of
social support impacts the recruitment of elderly patients into clinical trials. IV.
Determine if a previously validated tool of functional status in the elderly predicts
treatment related toxicity superior to that predicted by the ECOG performance status in this
patient population.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung
cancer Stage IV disease OR Recurrent unresectable disease No other conventional curative
or significant palliative therapies available Measurable disease At least one lesion a
minimum of one dimension in diameter of at least 20 mm No symptomatic and/or untreated CNS
metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 65 and over Performance status: ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy: At
least 12 weeks Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 Platelet count
at least 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: AST no greater than 3 times upper limit of normal Renal:
Creatinine clearance at least 40 mL/min Other: No uncontrolled infection No uncontrolled
seizure disorder No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus No other malignancies within the past 3
years except adequately treated basal or squamous cell skin cancer or noninvasive
carcinomas

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior biologic or immunotherapy for
recurrent or metastatic disease No concurrent biologic therapy Chemotherapy: No prior
chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease except as radiosensitizer No other
concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: No prior
radiotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease except as adjuvant therapy At least 4
weeks since prior radiotherapy to greater than 25% of bone marrow No concurrent
radiotherapy except for CNS therapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics At least 3 weeks
since prior major surgery