Carboplatin With Either Paclitaxel Poliglumex or Paclitaxel in Treating Women With Stage IIIB, Stage IV, or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

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

Cytologic specimens obtained by brushings, washings, or needle aspiration of a defined lesion or from a pleural effusion are acceptable; sputum cytology alone is not acceptable for determining cell type

Must meet one of the following criteria:

Recurrent disease following completion of radiation or surgery
Stage IIIB disease and not a candidate for combined modality therapy (primary radiation therapy or surgery)
Stage IV disease
Patients may have either measurable or nonmeasurable disease according to RECIST criteria

Baseline estradiol > 30 pg/mL

Patients on hormone replacement therapy are eligible provided baseline estradiol > 30 pg/mL

Patients with known brain metastases must have received standard antitumor treatment (e.g. whole brain radiation, stereotactic radioablation, or surgery) for their CNS metastases as defined by the site's institutional standards

Neurologic function must have been stable for 2 weeks before randomization and patients must either be off steroid therapy for their brain metastases or on a tapering regimen
Patients must have recovered from therapy for their brain metastases with no evidence of significant unstable neurological symptoms within the 4 weeks before study randomization
No evidence of small cell carcinoma, carcinoid, or mixed small cell/non-small cell histology

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Female
ECOG performance score 0-2
Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL (may be achieved with transfusion)
Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN (CTC grade 1) (patients with Gilbert syndrome or other hereditary bilirubin defects may be included regardless of bilirubin levels)
SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times ULN (CTC grade 0 or 1) (5 times ULN [CTC grade 0 to 2] if due to liver metastases)
Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN except for elevated alkaline phosphatase with laboratory documentation that demonstrates bone origin
No pregnant women or nursing mothers
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study participation
No known hypersensitivity to study drugs or excipients

Meets all of the following criteria:

No weight loss > 10% in previous 6 months
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ≤ 600 IU/L (central laboratory) regardless of weight loss
LDH ≤ 400 IU/L (central laboratory) and no weight loss ≥ 5% in previous 6 months
BMI ≤ 35
No concurrent primary malignancies except for carcinoma in situ or non-melanoma skin cancer
No neuropathy grade 2 or greater
No clinically significant active infection for which active therapy is underway

No unstable medical conditions including unstable angina or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

Patients with evidence of cardiac conduction abnormalities are eligible if their cardiac status is stable
No circumstance that would preclude completion of the study or the required follow-up

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics
Recovered from major surgery
At least 7 days since prior local palliative radiotherapy
At least 30 days since prior radiation therapy with curative intent
At least 4 weeks since prior investigational therapy, unless local requirements are more stringent
No prior systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of lung cancer, including systemic radiosensitizers used to treat brain metastases or any biologic agents
No concurrent non-protocol-specified systemic antitumor therapy
No concurrent amifostine, investigational agents, other cytotoxic agents for this disease

No concurrent radiotherapy (with the exception of radiotherapy for brain or bone metastases for palliative purposes or radiotherapy for a condition other than NSCLC that was ongoing at the time of randomization)

Patients receiving palliative radiotherapy (treatment for symptomatic metastatic disease) may be treated while on study