Carcinoma of the lung is a major health problem in the United States, responsible for one-third of all deaths due to cancer -- more than breast, colon, and prostate combined. Patients with metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) fare particularly poorly, with a median survival of only about 24 weeks. Standard cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens typically result in partial responses in 20-30 percent of cases, with complete responses almost never seen, and with an impact on overall survival of only about six weeks. All patients eventually develop progressive disease. Clearly, better first- and second-line treatment regimens are needed. Given the high response rates observed with single- agent docetaxel in metastatic NSCLC, and early reports of significant activity when combined with cisplatin, it is reasonable to determine the activity of docetaxel, amifostine and high-dose cisplatin (DAC) in advanced NSCLC. This pilot study will determine the tolerability and maximally tolerated dose of this regimen.
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