Vorinostat in Combination With Palliative Radiotherapy for Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria

• Eligibility Criteria
• Patients must have histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC. Patients must have metastatic disease, stage IIIB with malignant pleural effusion, or be otherwise unsuitable for potentially curative therapy due to bulk of disease or comorbid medical illness. There must be disease apparent on imaging which offers a medical indication for radiation therapy. Palliative radiotherapy would be offered as appropriate standard therapy outside of a study setting. (NOTE: Radiotherapy utilized in this regimen is the same as that which would be offered as standard treatment outside of this study). Indications for palliative radiation include pain, pathologic fracture or risk of fracture, lymphovascular obstruction, bronchial obstruction, neural impingement, dyspnea, or bleeding.
• There must be a measurable tumor target (visible, palpable, or radiographically evident) for palliative radiation. The target for radiotherapy must be in the thoracic region (i.e., there must be normal lung tissue at the same anatomic level).
• Previous systemic therapy for NSCLC is allowed, as long as all prior therapy was completed at least two weeks before enrollment. Patients treated with nitrosurea or radioisotope may not be enrolled unless such treatment was at least 6 weeks prior to enrollment. Patients must have no previous exposed to HDAC inhibitors (patients previously treated with valproic acid are eligible if the exposure was greater than 30 days prior to enrollment).
• Age ≥18 years. Because no dosing or adverse event data are currently available on the use of vorinostat alone, or in combination radiation in patients 38ºC within 48 hours of enrollment), symptomatic congestive heart failure (i.e., NYHA class 3 or greater), unstable angina pectoris, coronary angioplasty within 6 months prior to enrollment, or cardiac arrhythmia. Additionally, patients with suspected or confirmed poor compliance, mental instability, or prior or current alcohol or drug abuse deemed by the investigator to be likely to affect their ability to sign the informed consent, or undergo study procedures will be excluded.
• Pregnant women are excluded from this study because radiation has the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with vorinostat, breastfeeding should be discontinued if the mother is treated. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test prior to enrollment.
• Patients with active HIV or viral hepatitis.
• Patients in whom primary radiation therapy, with potentially curative intent, is indicated will be excluded.