PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:~I. To evaluate the 18-week progression free survival (PFS) rate of relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients treated with NKTR-102 (pegylated irinotecan NKTR 102).~SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:~I. To evaluate the objective response rate. II. To evaluate the duration of response. III. To evaluate the overall survival. IV. To evaluate the toxicity of NKTR-102 in this patient population.~TERTIARY OBJECTIVES:~I. To explore the correlation between UDP glucuronosyltransferase 1 family, polypeptide A cluster (UGTIA1) polymorphisms and NKTR-102 toxicities.~OUTLINE:~Patients receive pegylated irinotecan NKTR 102 intravenously (IV) over 90 minutes on day 1. Courses repeat every 21 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.~After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30 days and then every 3 months thereafter.
This phase II trial studies how well pegylated irinotecan NKTR 102 works in treating patients with small cell lung cancer that has returned after a period of improvement. Pegylated irinotecan NKTR 102 may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth.