Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer
Measurable disease
No brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

Over 18

Performance status:

Zubrod 0-2

Life expectancy:

Not specified

Hematopoietic:

Absolute granulocyte count greater than 2,000/mm^3
Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic:

Bilirubin less than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
AST and ALT less than 2.5 times ULN (unless attributed to liver metastases)

Renal:

Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL AND/OR
Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular:

No myocardial infarction within past 6 months
No congestive heart failure
No uncontrolled arrhythmia

Other:

No other concurrent or prior malignancy within past 5 years except localized basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
HIV negative

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

Not specified

Chemotherapy:

No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

Not specified

Radiotherapy:

At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy with clearly progressive disease
Concurrent palliative radiotherapy allowed if no evidence of disease progression

Surgery:

Not specified