OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the response rate of high dose chemotherapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in the treatment of lung cancer.
OUTLINE: Patients undergo stem cell harvesting. Patients receive radiation therapy to primary site and metastatic sites, if necessary. Patients receive a high dose of paclitaxel by 24 hour continuous infusion, then stem cells are infused 72 hours later. After a 3-4 week recovery period, patients receive ifosfamide and carboplatin by daily continuous infusion on days -7, -6, -5, and -4. Etoposide is administered by continuous infusion twice daily on days -7, -6, -5, and -4. Stem cells are again infused on day 0. Filgrastim (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; G-CSF) begins on day 0. Patients may receive radiotherapy following recovery from chemotherapy. Patients are followed weekly for the first 6 months, then periodically for at least 2 years.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: This study will accrue 30 patients in 3 years.
