Megestrol in Treating Patients Who Are Undergoing Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed lung cancer
• * Unresectable stage I-IIIB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
• * Resected stage I-IIIB NSCLC
• * Limited stage small cell lung cancer
• Planned radiotherapy with a total dose of at least 5,000 cGy in fraction sizes of no greater than 200 cGy each
• No distant metastases
• No significant ascites, pleural effusions, or edema that would inhibit oral food intake or invalidate weight determinations
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age:
• Over 18
• Performance status:
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy:
• More than 3 months
• Hematopoietic:
• Not specified
• Hepatic:
• Not specified
• Renal:
• Not specified
• Cardiovascular:
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No active thromboembolic disease
• No myocardial infarction within the past 3 months
• No prior congestive heart failure or thromboembolic events
• Pulmonary:
• No prior pulmonary edema
• Other:
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 3 years except curatively treated carcinoma in situ of the cervix or non-melanoma skin cancer
• No uncontrolled diabetes with glycosylated hemoglobin greater than 10%
• No Cushing's syndrome
• No dietary restrictions (e.g., salt, sugar, or lipid)
• No other serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy:
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy:
• See Endocrine therapy
• Endocrine therapy:
• At least 12 months since prior corticosteroids, estrogens, progestins, or other steroid hormone except as antiemetic prior to chemotherapy
• No concurrent corticosteroids, estrogens, progestins, or other steroid hormone except as antiemetic prior to chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy:
• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiotherapy to lung
• Surgery:
• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 14 days since prior surgery