Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically confirmed stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer, including any
of the following types:

- Squamous cell carcinoma

- Adenocarcinoma, including bronchoalveolar cell adenocarcinoma

- Large cell anaplastic carcinoma, including giant and clear cell carcinomas

- Histologic or cytologic documentation of recurrence is required

- Measurable or evaluable disease, defined as any mass reproducibly measurable in 2
perpendicular diameters by physical examination or imaging

- The following lesions are not considered measurable or evaluable:

- Bone disease only

- Pleural or pericardial effusions

- Previously irradiated lesions, unless subsequent progression is documented

- CNS metastases allowed provided the patient undergoes at least 2 weeks of
radiotherapy prior to study entry

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- Negative pregnancy test

- CALGB performance status ≤ 1

- Life expectancy ≥ 3 months

- Granulocyte count > 1,500/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

- Creatinine ≤ 2 times normal

- Bilirubin normal

- SGOT and/or SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AND alkaline phosphatase ≤
1.5 times ULN OR

- Alkaline phosphatase 4 times ULN and SGOT and/or SGPT normal

- Ejection fraction normal by ECHO or MUGA

- No history of congestive heart failure

- No psychiatric illness that would preclude study compliance

- No serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude giving informed consent
or limit survival to < 3 months

- No active uncontrolled bacterial, fungal, or viral infection

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated carcinoma in
situ of the cervix or breast, basal cell or squamous carcinoma of the skin, or other
surgically resected non-recurrent primary tumor not treated with adjuvant
radiotherapy or chemotherapy

- No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- At least 2 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered from acute effects

- At least 2 weeks since prior palliative radiotherapy and recovered from acute toxic
effects

- Any persistent toxicity (e.g., alopecia or hyperpigmentation) not associated
with clinical morbidity allowed

- No prior chemotherapy

- No concurrent cranial or thoracic radiation therapy

- No concurrent cytotoxic or hormonal therapy

- Concurrent palliative radiotherapy allowed for relief of localized pain and
obstruction