Photodynamic Therapy Using HPPH in Treating Patients With Stage 0 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Biopsy confirmed carcinoma in situ (CIS) or microinvasive bronchogenic non-small cell lung carcinoma

  * May have squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or large cell carcinoma histology
* Stage 0 (CIS or microinvasive) disease, meeting all of the following criteria:

  * Lesion must be radiographically occult and not definable by conventional CT scan of the chest
  * Lesion may or may not be invisible on white light bronchoscopy, but is definable and photographable on laser-induced fluorescence emission (LIFE) bronchoscopy
  * Biopsy of the lesion must indicate no evidence of invasion beyond cartilage on histopathology, but may be invasive through the basement membrane (microinvasive carcinoma)
* No evidence of major pulmonary vessel encasement on CT scan of the chest

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Karnofsky performance status (PS) 50-100% OR ECOG PS 0-2
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* WBC ≥ 4,000/mm\^3
* Prothrombin time ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Total bilirubin ≤ 3.0 mg/dL
* Creatinine ≤ 3.0 mg/dL
* Alkaline phosphatase (hepatic) or SGOT ≤ 3 times ULN
* No porphyria or hypersensitivity to porphyrin or porphyrin-like compounds
* No severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, that in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude multiple bronchoscopies or partial central airway obstruction from mucous/debris formation
* Patients with underlying lung disease must be judged (by the principal investigator) able to withstand mucous or debris formation at the site of treatment
* No contraindications for bronchoscopy
* Not pregnant
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent chemotherapy or radiotherapy
* Prior therapy of any type (e.g., chemotherapy or radiotherapy) allowed for lung cancer