Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed stage IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung
cancer (NSCLC)

- Squamous cell carcinoma

- Adenocarcinoma (including bronchoalveolar cell)

- Large cell anaplastic carcinoma (including giant and clear cell carcinomas)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

- 18 and over

Performance status:

- Karnofsky 60-100%

Life expectancy:

- Not specified

Hematopoietic:

- Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3

- Hemoglobin 11.0-15 g/dL

- If hemoglobin is 11.0-11.9 g/dL then the following lab values are required:

- Iron greater than 60 mcg/mL

- Transferrin saturation greater than 20%

- Ferritin at least 100 mg/mL

- Iron binding capacity less than 400 mcg/dL

- RBC folate normal

- B12 normal

Hepatic:

- Bilirubin less than 1.5 mg/dL

- AST less than 2 times upper limit of normal

Renal:

- Creatinine clearance at least 20 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

- No uncontrolled hypertension

Pulmonary:

- FEV1 at least 0.8 L

Other:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No known hypersensitivity to mammalian cell-derived products or human albumin

- No other concurrent or prior malignancy within the past 2 years except non- melanoma
skin cancers

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

- At least 30 days since prior transfusion

- No prior epoetin alfa or experimental forms of epoetin alfa

Chemotherapy:

- No prior chemotherapy for NSCLC

Endocrine therapy:

- Not specified

Radiotherapy:

- No prior radiotherapy for NSCLC

Surgery:

- At least 2 weeks since prior thoracotomy

Other:

- No concurrent therapy for iron, folate, or B12 deficiency

- No other concurrent anti-cancer therapy