Amrubicin and Irinotecan in Treating Patients With Recurrent or Relapsed Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically or cytologically confirmed small cell lung cancer Extensive stage disease Recurrent or relapsed disease after 1-2 prior chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy regimens No unmanageable massive pleural effusion or pericardial effusion by chest CT scan No symptomatic brain metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy More than 3 months Hematopoietic Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin ≥ 8.5 g/dL Hepatic ALT and AST ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL Renal Creatinine normal Cardiovascular No uncontrolled hypertension No unstable angina No congestive heart failure No myocardial infarction within the past year No ventricular arrhythmia requiring medical intervention No other serious cardiovascular disease Pulmonary Arterial oxygen pressure (PaO_2) ≥ 70 torr No interstitial pneumonitis or pulmonary fibrosis by chest x-ray Gastrointestinal No serious diarrhea No paralytic or obstructive ileus Other Not pregnant or nursing No uncontrolled diabetes No severe infectious disorder PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy See Disease Characteristics No prior anthracycline or its derivatives at > the upper dose limit (e.g., daunorubicin ≥ 25 mg/kg, doxorubicin ≥ 500 mg/m^2, or epirubicin ≥ 900 mg/m^2) Endocrine therapy Not specified Radiotherapy See Disease Characteristics Surgery Not specified