FR901228 in Treating Patients With Refractory or Progressive Small Cell Lung Cancer or Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the response of patients with refractory or progressive small cell or non-small cell lung cancer to FR901228. II. Determine the ability of FR901228 to mediate apoptosis and target gene induction relative to tumor histology in these patients. III. Determine the toxicity of this treatment in these patients. PROTOCOL OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to disease histology (small cell lung cancer vs non-small cell lung cancer). Patients receive FR901228 IV over 4 hours on days 1 and 7. Treatment repeats every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 18-43 patients (9-21 per arm) will be accrued for this study within 18 months.