Celecoxib and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

- Determine the maximum tolerated dose and the recommended phase II dose of concurrent
celecoxib and limited-field radiotherapy in intermediate-prognosis patients with
locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

- Determine the efficacy and toxicity of this regimen in these patients.

- Determine how the predictors of mortality in the general population (i.e., comorbid
conditions, functional status, quality of life, and psychological status) influence
prognosis, toxicity, and outcomes of therapy in patients treated with this regimen.

- Correlate circulating levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic
fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and interleukin-8 (IL8) with survival in patients
treated with this regimen.

- Correlate circulating levels of interleukin-1 (IL1), interleukin-6 (IL6), and
transforming growth factor-beta (TGFB) with pulmonary toxicity in patients treated with
this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a phase I dose-escalation study of celecoxib followed by a phase II,
multicenter study.

- Phase I: Patients receive oral celecoxib twice daily. Beginning on day 6, patients
undergo thoracic radiotherapy 5 days a week for 3-6.5 weeks . Patients continue to
receive celecoxib for up to 2 years in the absence of disease progression or
unacceptable toxicity.

- Phase II: If fewer than 3 of the first 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity,
then the dose of celecoxib is escalated for all patients in the study, including those
in the first cohort.

Quality of life is assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after start of therapy.

Patients are followed every 3 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, and then
annually thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 6-12 patients will be accrued for the phase I portion of this
study and a total of 116 patients will be accrued for the phase II portion of this study
within 25 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer

- Inoperable stage IIB OR

- Unresectable stage IIIA or IIIB

- No evidence of hematogenous metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- Zubrod 2 AND more than 5% weight loss over the past 3 months OR

- Zubrod 0-1 AND less than 5% weight loss over the past 3 months and refuses
chemotherapy or are medically unable to tolerate combined modality therapy

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- Not specified

Hepatic

- Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal

- International Normalized Ratio (INR) no greater than 3.0 if taking warfarin

Renal

- Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Other

- No active gastrointestinal ulcers or bleeding within the past 3 months

- No other malignancy within the past 3 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer

- No known hypersensitivity to celecoxib

- No prior allergic-type reactions to sulfonamides

- No prior asthma, urticaria, or allergic-type reactions to aspirin or other
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- Not specified

Chemotherapy

- No prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy

- No concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

- No concurrent corticosteroids

Radiotherapy

- No prior thoracic radiotherapy

Surgery

- No prior complete or subtotal tumor resection

Other

- No concurrent NSAIDs, lithium, furosemide, or angiotensin-converting enzyme
inhibitors

- Concurrent aspirin (325 mg/day) for cardioprotection allowed