Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

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

- Predominantly squamous cell histology

- Cytologic or histologic elements can be established on metastatic tumor
aspirates or biopsy

- Advanced disease, meeting 1 of the following staging criteria:

- Stage IIIB disease with malignant pleural effusion

- Stage IV disease

- Recurrent, unresectable disease

- Measurable or nonmeasurable disease

- No extrathoracic only disease

- No known CNS metastases by head CT scan with contrast or MRI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

- ECOG performance status 0-1

- Platelet count > 100,000/mm^3

- Absolute neutrophil count > 1,500/mm^3

- Bilirubin < 1.5 mg/dL

- Transaminases < 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min

- Urine protein:creatinine ratio ≤ 1.0 by spot urinalysis

- INR < 1.5 ULN

- PTT normal

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients use effective contraception

- No serious nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture

- No ongoing or active infection

- No ongoing fever

- No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

- No stroke within the past 6 months

- No history of hypertension unless well-controlled (i.e., blood pressure < 150/100
mmHg on a stable regimen of antihypertensive therapy)

- No New York Heart Association grade III or IV congestive heart failure

- No serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication

- No unstable angina pectoris

- No peripheral vascular disease ≥ grade 2

- No other clinically significant cardiovascular disease

- No abdominal fistula

- No gastrointestinal perforation

- No intra-abdominal abscess within the past 6 months

- No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance

- No other malignancy curatively treated within the past 5 years

- No history of thrombotic or hemorrhagic disorders

- No gross hemoptysis (i.e., red blood ≥ ½ teaspoon) within the past 3 months

- No bleeding requiring intervention or ≥ grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- Recovered from prior therapy

- No prior systemic chemotherapy for metastatic NSCLC

- More than 6 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy for early stage (i.e., stage
IB-IIIA) NSCLC

- More than 3 weeks since prior immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, or radiotherapy

- More than 28 days since prior and no concurrent major surgery

- More than 7 days since prior minor surgery, fine-needle aspiration, or core biopsy

- More than 4 weeks since prior and no concurrent participation in another experimental
drug study

- No concurrent therapeutic anticoagulation

- Concurrent prophylactic anticoagulation of venous access device allowed

- No concurrent chronic treatment with aspirin (> 325 mg/day) or nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs known to inhibit platelet function

- No concurrent dipyridamole, ticlopidine, clopidogrel, or cilostazol