Docetaxel and Cisplatin in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer, meeting 1 of the following stage criteria:

Stage IIIB disease with malignant pericardial or malignant pleural effusions, as indicated by 1 of the following:

Positive cytology
Exudative effusion AND lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) > 200 IU with effusion/serum LDH ratio ≥ 0.6
Stage IV disease
Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion > 20 mm by conventional techniques OR > 10 mm by spiral CT scan
Brain metastases allowed provided they have been irradiated AND are radiographically stable for ≥ 28 days after the completion of radiotherapy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

18 and over

Performance status

ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic

Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL

Hepatic

AST and ALT normal
Bilirubin normal

Renal

Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min

Immunologic

No known HIV positivity
No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to docetaxel or other drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
No clinically significant active infection

Other

Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception before, during, and for 4 weeks after completion of study treatment
No other primary malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
No other serious systemic disorder that would preclude study participation
No other condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

Prior antibody-based therapy that targets growth factor pathways (e.g., epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR]) allowed provided there is disease progression during therapy and patient has recovered
No concurrent immunotherapy
No concurrent prophylactic colony-stimulating factors
No concurrent interleukin-11

Chemotherapy

No prior cytotoxic chemotherapy
No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

No concurrent hormonal therapy for the malignancy

Radiotherapy

See Disease Characteristics
More than 28 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered
No prior radiotherapy to ≥ 25% of the bone marrow
No prior radiotherapy to sites of measurable disease unless there is documented tumor progression after completion of radiotherapy
No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

No concurrent surgery for the malignancy

Other

More than 3 weeks since prior investigational drugs
Prior oral small molecule drug therapy that targets growth factor pathways (e.g., EGFR) allowed provided there is disease progression during therapy and patient has recovered
No other concurrent investigational or commercial agents or therapies for the malignancy