ZD6474 in Treating Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed small cell carcinoma of the lung

  * Small cell and variant histology allowed
  * No mixed tumors (small and large cell)
  * No neuroendocrine tumors of the lung
* Must have received at least 4 courses of first-line combination chemotherapy as part of an induction regimen

  * No prior change in regimen due to disease progression
* Must have achieved a radiologically confirmed (i.e., CT scan, chest x-ray, or bone scan) complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) after prior chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy AND meets 1 of the following criteria:

  * No more than 28 days since prior chemotherapy
  * At least 7 and no more than 14 days since prior radiotherapy if administered after completion of prior chemotherapy\*
* No CNS metastases

  * Asymptomatic patients with CNS metastases who received prior therapeutic cranial irradiation and are on stable, decreasing, or no steroids are eligible
  * No symptomatic lesions or evidence of necrosis or bleeding NOTE: \*Randomization may take place up to 21 days after prior radiotherapy in the instance of severe esophagitis that precludes administration of oral medications

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* Over 16

Performance status

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

* Absolute granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* No history of bleeding diathesis

Hepatic

* Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* ALT less than 2.5 times ULN

Renal

* Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN
* Calcium normal

Cardiovascular

* No prior ventricular arrhythmia that was symptomatic or required treatment (CTC grade 3), including any of the following:

  * Multifocal premature ventricular contractions
  * Bigeminy
  * Trigeminy
  * Ventricular tachycardia
* No prior QT prolongation with any medication
* No congenital long QT syndrome
* No QT and QTc (with Bazett's correction) that is unmeasurable or is 460 msec or higher on screening ECG
* No significant cardiac event, including symptomatic heart failure or angina, within the past 3 months or any cardiac disease that increases the risk for ventricular arrhythmia
* No ongoing chronic atrial fibrillation
* LVEF at least 45% by MUGA for patients with significant cardiac history (myocardial infarction, severe hypertension, or arrhythmia) OR who received prior doxorubicin greater than 450 mg/m\^2

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Potassium normal
* Magnesium normal
* No serious active infection
* No recent major bleeding
* No other concurrent serious underlying medical condition that would preclude study participation
* Willing and able to complete quality of life questionnaires in English or French

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* No prior signal transduction inhibitors
* No prior angiogenesis inhibitors
* No concurrent anticancer biologic therapy or immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* Not specified

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior radiotherapy
* No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy

  * Concurrent low-dose, nonmyelosuppressive palliative radiotherapy allowed

Surgery

* More than 2 weeks since prior major surgery

Other

* More than 4 weeks since prior investigational drugs
* No prior epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors
* No prior vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitors
* No concurrent CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers, including any of the following:

  * Verapamil
  * Rifampin
  * Phenytoin
  * Carbamazepine
  * Barbiturates
  * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
* No concurrent medication that affects QT/QTc and/or induces torsades de pointes
* No other concurrent anticancer cytotoxic therapy
* No other concurrent investigational drugs during and for 30 days after study participation
* No concurrent oral bisphosphonates (e.g., clodronate)

  * Concurrent IV bisphosphonates allowed
* No concurrent 5HT\_3 antagonists