Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed limited stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

- Diagnosis by sputum cytology is allowed provided there is pathologic
confirmation of disease

- No positron-emission tomography scans for tumor staging

- Measurable or non-measurable disease by CT scan, MRI, or x-ray

- Disease must be present outside the area of any prior surgical resection

- No metastatic disease, including brain metastases

- No malignant pericardial or pleural effusion*, defined as 1 of the following:

- Cytologically positive effusion

- Exudative effusion not attributable to other etiologies NOTE: *Patients with
effusions too small to tap are eligible

- Patients must be offered participation in SWOG-S9925

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- Zubrod 0-1

Life expectancy

- Not specified

Hematopoietic

- Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

- Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2 times ULN

Renal

- Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min* NOTE: *If calculated creatinine clearance is
used, creatinine must be < 1.5 mg/dL

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- Patients with significant clinical hearing loss must be willing to accept the
potential for worsening of symptoms

- No grade 1 or greater symptomatic sensory neuropathy

- No other prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal
cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately
treated stage I or II cancer that is currently in complete remission

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- No prior biologic therapy for SCLC

- No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF) during radiotherapy administration

Chemotherapy

- No prior chemotherapy for SCLC

Endocrine therapy

- Not specified

Radiotherapy

- No prior thoracic or neck radiotherapy

- No concurrent intensity-modulated radiotherapy

Surgery

- See Disease Characteristics

- At least 2 weeks since prior thoracic or major surgery and recovered

Other

- No concurrent amifostine