Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Jin Fu Kang in Comb w/Docetaxel for Patients w/Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Jin Fu Kang is a herbal medicine specially developed in China for the treatment of lung cancer. It is based on a traditional medicine that is widely used and appears to be safe. Although clinical trials in China suggest that Jin Fu Kang may be of benefit, it has never been researched in patients with lung cancer in the United States. As such, its risks and benefits are not fully understood.

The scientific aims are to determine the toxicity of Jin Fu Kang/docetaxel combination treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, to determine whether Jin Fu Kang alters the pharmacokinetics of docetaxel and to provide preliminary efficacy and survival data for Jin Fu Kang/docetaxel combination treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Inclusion criteria

-Patients must meet all of the following inclusion criteria:

• Pathologic confirmation of stage III or IV NSCLC.
• Docetaxel therapy for cancer is clinically indicated.
• KPS>=60% *ANC<1,000/mcl and Platelets<100/mcl

Exclusion criteria

-Patients must meet none of the following exclusion criteria:

• WBC< 4,000/µl, hemoglobin < 10 g/dl, platelet count < 100,000/µl, total bilirubin > ULN, AST >1.5 x ULN, alkaline phosphatase > 2.5 x ULN, creatinine > 1.5 mg/dl or creatinine clearance < 50 ml/min/1.7 m2), (ANC > 10,000/µl)
• Prior docetaxel
• Patient must have recovered from all previous treatment-related toxicity
• Concurrent use of any botanicals for anticancer intent
• Use of Jin Fu Kang or any of its constituent botanicals in the previous three weeks.
• History of allergy to any of the constituent botanicals in Jin Fu Kang.
• Pregnant or lactating women or women of childbearing potential not using effective contraception. A negative pregnancy test must be documented during the screening period for women of childbearing potential.
• Concurrent active cancer.
• Concurrent use of immunosuppressives: as an immunostimulant, astragalus-containing products are contraindicated for patients on immunosuppressive therapy.