Cryotherapy and GM-CSF in Treating Patients With Lung Metastases or Primary Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed diagnosis of 1 of the following:

  * Primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

    * Any stage nonoperative NSCLC or patient refuses surgery
  * Any cancer with pulmonary metastatic disease (including renal cell cancer)

    * Stage IV disease (any T, any N, M1)
* Must have 1-10 pulmonary or mediastinal masses meeting the following criteria:

  * At least 1 mass is appropriate for 2 sessions of core biopsy and cryotherapy with relatively easy access/low risk in nonoperative patients (or those refusing surgery)
  * The two dominant masses are defined as either the largest and/or those that may cause imminent morbidity from continued local progression, thereby potentially benefiting from thoracic cryotherapy alone
  * Optimal tumor size \> 1.0 cm

    * Dominant masses up to 6 cm in diameter may be considered if thorough cryotherapy coverage can be anticipated with minimal additional treatment morbidity
* Measurable disease, defined as tridimensional measurements of up to 6 different pulmonary or mediastinal masses ≥ 0.5 cm by CT scan
* No active pleural effusion that could be related to respiratory infection or requires further work-up
* No untreated and/or unstable brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Karnofsky performance status 70-100%
* Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
* Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm³
* INR \< 1.5 (i.e., normal PT/PTT)
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL
* Bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST ≤ 3 times ULN
* Satisfactory pulmonary function test as determined by supervising oncologist, thoracic surgeon, or pulmonologist
* Not pregnant or lactating
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other active malignancy except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

  * Inactive history of cancer allowed if the patient has been disease-free for \> 2 years
* No serious medical or psychiatric illnesses that would preclude informed consent or limit survival to \< 12 wks
* No uncontrollable cough or inability to lie flat
* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
* No known immunodeficiency state
* No uncontrolled infection
* No uncontrolled coagulopathy or bleeding diathesis
* No advance directive that would prevent the investigator from treating the participant in the event of a complication occurring during or after the procedure
* No medical contraindication or potential problem that would preclude protocol compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 4 weeks since prior biologic therapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy
* More than 4 weeks since prior filgrastim (G-CSF) or sargramostim (GM-CSF)
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin)
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* More than 2 weeks since prior corticosteroids
* More than 1 week since prior parenteral antibiotics
* At least 1 week since prior aspirin or aspirin-like medications
* At least 3 days since prior warfarin, clopidogrel bisulfate, or similar compounds
* No concurrent GM-CSF other than study drug
* No concurrent G-CSF
* No concurrent radiotherapy
* No concurrent glucocorticosteroids
* No concurrent parenteral antibiotics
* No concurrent immunosuppressive agents
* No concurrent drugs that cause bleeding tendencies
* No other concurrent biologic therapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy