Vinorelbine Tartrate and Paclitaxel in Treating Older Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• •Pathologically proven non-small cell lung cancer with evidence of distant metastases/malignant pleural effusion
• •Measurable disease on imaging studies in 2 dimensions
• •No previous therapy with either paclitaxel or vinorelbine, or any chemotherapy for the past five years
• •Patients who have had a previous resection for their lung cancer and present with recurrent disease will be eligible
• •Patients with other prior malignancies will be included, provided they have been disease-free for at least five years
• •Patients with adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, adequately treated carcinoma in-situ of the cervix and hormone sensitive prostate cancer will be eligible
• •Karnofsky score \>= 70 (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group \[ECOG\] 0-2)
• •White blood cell (WBC) count \>= 3,500/mm\^3, OR
• •Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500/ul
• •Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3
• •Serum creatinine less than 1.5 times the upper limits of normal
• •Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) less than 1.5 times the upper limits of normal
• •Serum alkaline phosphatase less than 2.5 times the upper limits of normal
• •No active serious infections or other condition precluding chemotherapy
• •Non-pregnant and non-nursing
• •Men and women of reproductive potential may not participate unless they have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method while on the study
• •Able to give informed consent
• •Able to return for treatment and follow-up as specified in the protocol