Bortezomib and Cisplatin as First-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Malignant Mesothelioma

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed pleural malignant mesothelioma, meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Recurrent disease after radical surgery
  * Disease not considered suitable for radical treatment
* Measurable or evaluable disease
* No clinical evidence of brain or leptomeningeal metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* WHO performance status 0-1
* Life expectancy \> 12 weeks
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Absolute neutrophil count \> 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count \> 100,000/mm³
* Creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min OR \> 50 mL/min
* ALT and AST \< 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (\< 5 times ULN if liver metastases present)
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times ULN
* No concurrent secondary malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or adequately treated basal cell skin cancer
* No other malignancy treated within the past 5 years

  * Melanoma, breast cancer, or hypernephroma treated within the past 5 years and without recurrence are allowed
* No uncontrolled or severe cardiovascular disease, including any of the following:

  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * New York Heart Association class III-IV heart failure
  * Uncontrolled angina
  * Clinically significant pericardial disease or cardiac amyloidosis
* No infiltrative pulmonary or pericardial disease
* No preexisting peripheral neuropathy
* No known or suspected allergy or intolerance to boron, mannitol, or heparin, if an indwelling catheter is used
* No psychological, familial, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude protocol compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior systemic chemotherapy for mesothelioma
* No other concurrent antineoplastic agents except medications that may have antineoplastic activity but are taken for other reasons (e.g., megestrol acetate, cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, or bisphosphonates)
* No other concurrent experimental agents