S0002 - A Program to Quit Smoking With or Without Bupropion in Treating Patients With Stage I or II Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Who Have Undergone Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of stage I or II non-small cell lung cancer with complete resection of all disease

  * Must be free of recurrent or progressive disease
* Current smoker defined as:

  * Smoked at least 100 cigarettes in entire life AND
  * Currently smoking some days or every day
* Must establish a quit date that falls within 30 days after registration, but 7 days after physician advice and start of bupropion or placebo therapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Not specified

Hepatic:

* Not specified

Renal:

* Not specified

Cardiovascular:

* Not within an immediate post-infarction period
* No uncontrolled arrhythmias
* No unstable angina
* No uncontrolled hypertension (unstable blood pressure, diastolic pressure 90 mm Hg or greater)

Other:

* Must be able to read, speak, and understand English
* Must be willing to allow testing of saliva for cotinine levels
* No history of seizures
* No history of eating disorders
* No known drug-drug interactions between nicotine patch and/or bupropion and patient's current or planned medications including chemotherapy and antiemetics
* No concurrent psychiatric diagnosis that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* Concurrent adjuvant chemotherapy allowed

Endocrine therapy:

* No concurrent systemic steroids

Radiotherapy:

* Concurrent adjuvant radiotherapy allowed

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior surgery

Other:

* Prior neoadjuvant therapy allowed
* At least 14 days since prior medications containing bupropion (e.g., Wellbutrin or Wellbutrin SR)
* No other concurrent medications that contain bupropion (e.g., Wellbutrin or Wellbutrin SR)
* No concurrent monoamine oxidase inhibitors
* No concurrent medications that lower seizure threshold (e.g., antipsychotics, antidepressants, or theophylline)
* No other concurrent nicotine replacement therapy