Radiation Therapy and Ammonium Tetrathiomolybdate in Treating Patients With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) meeting the following criteria:

Squamous, large cell undifferentiated, or adenocarcinoma

Sputum cytology not acceptable evidence of cell type
Cytologic specimens obtained by brushing, washing, or needle aspiration of a defined lesion allowed
Stage I-IIIB disease
No evidence of distant metastases
Planning to receive definitive radiotherapy alone or post-operative radiotherapy (for gross residual disease or positive margin)
Medically inoperable disease or chemotherapy or surgery refused

Mediastinal lymph nodes must be evaluated by either mediastinoscopy or by PET scan, unless definitive CT-positive mediastinal disease is noted

If patient cannot tolerate mediastinoscopy and no PET is available, the technetium 99m sestamibi scan is allowed for assessment of the mediastinum
No stage IIIB disease with pleural effusions or stage IV disease
No small cell lung cancer or mixed small cell/non-small cell histology

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

SWOG performance status 0-2
Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
ANC ≥ 1,200/mm³
Platelet count ≥ 80,000/mm³
Creatinine < 1.8 mg/dL

Prior malignancy allowed if disease free for ≥ 5 years

Nonmelanoma skin cancer allowed within 5 years
Not pregnant or nursing
Negative pregnancy test
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
No grade 3 hemoptysis (or hemoptysis not requiring transfusion, but where the radiation oncologist has concerns about a 3-week delay in treatment)
No pneumonia due to bronchial obstruction (or a high-grade bronchial obstruction where the radiation oncologist has concerns about a 3-week delay in treatment)
No transfusion dependence requiring > 2 units of packed RBCs every 2 weeks for more than 28 days
No medically serious acute or chronic medical condition that is unstable and/or requires intensive management

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

See Disease Characteristics
Prior thoracic radiation allowed if the new lesion can be treated with absolutely no overlap of previous treatment fields
At least 3 weeks since prior surgery
No concurrent chemotherapy