Celecoxib in Treating Patients With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

• To assess cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and correlate the results with serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels, tumor microvessel density score, tumor prostaglandin E2 (PGE_2) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) levels, and the major urinary metabolite of PGE_2, PGE-M.
• To assess the effect of specific COX-2 inhibitors (celecoxib) on COX-2 expression within the primary tumor, serum VEGF levels and tumor microvascular density, tumor PGE_2 and MMP levels, and urinary PGE-M in a cohort of patients with early-stage NSCLC.

OUTLINE: Patients receive oral celecoxib 400 mg twice a day for 5 days in the absence of disease progression or unaccepted toxicity. Patients with early-stage disease then undergo surgery.

Biopsy, serum, and urine samples are obtained at baseline and after celecoxib treatment. The biopsy specimen are examined for the expression of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), PGE_2, and selected MMPs by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and northern blotting. Serum and urine samples are analyzed for VEGF and PGE-M expression. COX-2 tumor expression is correlated with serum VEGF levels; tumor MMP-2, MMP-9, and PGE_2 expression; urinary PGE-M and microvessel density scores.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Presumed histological or cytological diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer

• Diagnosis to be confirmed upon study entry to collect biopsy material for correlative studies
• Stage I-IIIA disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status of 0-2
• Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
• Granulocytes ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• AST ≤ 3 times normal
• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No active unresolved infection

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• At least 7 days since prior and no concurrent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents or other cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors
• At least 7 days since prior parenteral antibiotics
• No prior systemic chemotherapy or radiotherapy