Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer

- Stage IIIB or IV

- Currently receiving first- or second-line antineoplastic therapy (must be scheduled
to receive therapy during the 12 weeks of study therapy)

- Antineoplastic therapy may include single agent or combination chemotherapy,
corticosteroids, or a combination of these agents

- Hemoglobin no greater than 11 g/dL

- Transfusion independent

- No known primary or metastatic CNS malignancy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

- 18 and over

Performance status

- ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

- More than 6 months

Hematopoietic

- See Disease Characteristics

- Platelet count 50,000-500,000/mm^3

- No functional iron deficiency* (e.g., transferrin saturation less than 20% OR serum
ferritin less than 100 ng/mL)

- No known hemolysis NOTE: *Concurrent iron supplementation to correct deficiency
allowed

Hepatic

- Not specified

Renal

- Creatinine no greater than 2.5 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

- No clinically significant hypertension

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile patients must use effective contraception

- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell
carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

- No acute or chronic bleeding requiring therapy within the past 3 months (e.g.,
patients with anemia caused by gastrointestinal bleeding)

- No known cyanocobalamin deficiency

- No known folic acid deficiency

- No acute infection or inflammatory disease (C-reactive protein greater than 50 mg/L)

- No known resistance to epoetin administration

- No newly diagnosed (i.e., within the past 6 months) or uncontrolled epilepsy

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

- More than 8 weeks since prior recombinant human erythropoietin therapy or any other
erythropoiesis-stimulating drugs

Chemotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

Endocrine therapy

- See Disease Characteristics

Radiotherapy

- More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy

Surgery

- Not specified

Other

- More than 4 weeks since prior red blood cell transfusion

- More than 30 days since prior investigational drugs or regimens

- No prior enrollment and randomization to this study

- No other concurrent investigational drugs or regimens