Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed bronchoalveolar cell (or a variant) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Stage IIIB (malignant pleural or pericardial effusion) disease
Stage IV disease
Recurrent and/or medically inoperable disease
Measurable or evaluable indicator lesions
No uncontrolled CNS metastases (i.e., any known CNS lesion that is radiographically unstable, symptomatic, and/or requiring escalating doses of corticosteroids)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

ECOG performance status (PS) 0-1 OR Karnofsky PS 80-100%
Life expectancy ≥ 8 weeks
WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
Bilirubin ≤ 1.0 mg/dL
AST ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal
Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR creatinine clearance ≥ 55 mL/min
Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception

No significant medical history or unstable medical condition, including any of the following:

Unstable systemic disease
Congestive heart failure
Recent myocardial infarction
Unstable angina
Active infection
Uncontrolled hypertension
No other active malignancies within the past 5 years except for adequately treated carcinoma of the cervix or basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics
At least 3 weeks since prior radiation therapy to a major bone marrow-containing area
At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy
No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for NSCLC
No prior systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy for other malignant diseases
No prior erlotinib hydrochloride or other agents targeting the HER family (e.g., cetuximab, trastuzumab [Herceptin®], or gefitinib)
No concurrent radiotherapy or chemotherapy