Calcitriol in Preventing Lung Cancer in Smokers and Former Smokers at High Risk of Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Pathologically confirmed squamous metaplasia or squamous dysplasia of the lungs by autofluorescence bronchoscopy within the past 5 years
• Must be a current or former smoker
• No evidence of concurrent disease with lung cancer or head and neck cancer
• History of treated lung cancer or head and neck cancer treated with curative intent allowed, provided that there has been no evidence of disease for > 1 year

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Total granulocyte count > 1, 500 x 10^9cells/L
• Platelet count > 100,000 x 10^9cells/L
• Calculated Creatinine clearance > 60 mL/min (using the Cockcroft-Gault formula)
• Calcium concentration 50-300 mg/24 hours
• Total bilirubin 0.2-1.3 mg%
• ALT/AST ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• Albumin ≥ 2.5 g/dL
• Ionized serum calcium normal (1.19-1.29 mmol/L)
• Corrected serum calcium ≤ 10.2 mg/dL
• Willing to attend all scheduled study visits, complete all study questionnaires, and allow biological specimen collection, including a bronchoscopy
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 1 month after completion of study therapy
• No life-threatening medical conditions that would preclude bronchoscopy, including but not limited to, any of the following:
• Acute cardiac failure
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• Unstable coronary artery disease
• No severe metabolic disorders that would preclude calcitriol administration
• No history of any other malignancy within 3 years except for nonmelanoma skin cancer or cervical carcinoma in situ
• No history or evidence of kidney stones
• No patients who are susceptible to calcium-related dysrhythmias
• No known hypersensitivity to calcitriol
• No known allergies to tree nuts (i.e., almonds)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• At least 2 months since prior and no concurrent calcium supplements
• Concurrent multivitamin supplement allowed provided the amount of vitamin D in the supplement is not in excess of the recommended daily dose
• No concurrent thiazides, phenobarbital, or digitalis
• No concurrent digoxin
• No concurrent bile acid binding drugs (i.e., cholestyramine, colestipol)
• No concurrent danazol or aluminum-based antacids
• No concurrent ketoconazole or other azole antifungals