Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically (preferred) or cytologically confirmed small-cell lung carcinoma
(SCLC) by surgical biopsy, brushing, washing, OR core needle aspiration (sputum
cytology alone not acceptable)

- Extensive stage or stage IV disease, including patients with malignant pleural
or pericardial effusion

- No pleural effusion that causes ≥ CTC grade 2 dyspnea

- Not suitable for potentially curative combined-modality treatment for this disease

- Measurable or non-measurable disease

- No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- WHO performance status 0-2

- Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL

- Absolute neutrophils ≥ 2.0 x 10^9/L (without the use of growth factors)

- Platelet count ≥ 100 x 10^9/L

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x the upper limit of normal (ULN)

- ALT ≤ 2.5 x ULN (≤ 5 x ULN if liver metastases)

- Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 x ULN (≤ 5 x ULN if liver metastases)

- Creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min

- INR ≤ 1.5

- Magnesium, potassium, and calcium (corrected for albumin) normal

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 12 months after
completion of study therapy

- No recent hemoptysis associated with SCLC (> 1 teaspoon in a single episode within 4
weeks)

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except for nonmelanoma skin cancer or
cervical cancer in situ

- Must not have a history of any of the following conditions:

- Myocardial infarction within the past 12 months

- Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP > 160 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP > 90 mm
Hg) or poor compliance with anti-hypertensive regimen

- Sustained ventricular tachycardia

- Ventricular fibrillation or Torsades de Pointes

- Long QT syndrome

- QTc of > 450 msec

- NYHA class III or IV congestive heart failure

- Unstable or poorly controlled angina pectoris, including Prinzmetal variant
angina pectoris

- Right bundle branch block and left anterior hemiblock (bifascicular block)

- Bradycardia (defined as heart rate < 50 beats per minute)

- Cardiac arrhythmias (i.e., symptomatic, but may not require medications) CTCAE
grade ≥ 2

- No significant neurologic or psychiatric disorder that would compromise study
participation

- No peripheral sensory neuropathy with functional impairment ≥ CTC grade 2 (regardless
of cause)

- No concurrent severe and/or uncontrolled medical disease, including any of the
following:

- Uncontrolled diabetes

- Chronic renal disease

- Chronic liver disease

- Confirmed diagnosis of HIV infection

- Active uncontrolled infection

- No serious underlying medical condition, in the judgment of the investigator, that
would impair the patient's ability to participate in the trial

- No known hypersensitivity to study drugs or to any other component of the study drugs
(taxanes or other drugs formulated in Cremophor EL [polyoxyethylated castor oil])

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- Recovered from all prior therapy

- No prior systemic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or biologic anti-cancer therapy

- More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent radiotherapy

- Localized palliative radiotherapy to symptomatic bone metastases allowed

- More than 2 weeks since minor surgery

- Insertion of a vascular access device allowed

- More than 3 weeks since prior dimethylxanthenone acetic acid for prophylactic cranial
irradiation

- More than 4 weeks since major surgery (defined by the use of general anesthesia)

- At least 30 days since prior and no other concurrent investigational drugs or
anti-cancer therapy

- No treatment in a clinical trial within 30 days prior to trial entry

- No concurrent therapy with a risk of causing Torsades de Pointes

- No concurrent drugs that would be contraindicated for use with study drugs

- No factors with the potential to prolong QT interval