S0526: Pemetrexed Disodium in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Histologically confirmed bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC) or BAC variants such as adenocarcinoma with BAC features or BAC with invasive adenocarcinoma

Cytology specimens, such as bronchial brushings, washings, or fine needle aspiration specimens alone are not acceptable for diagnosis
Stage IV disease OR selected stage IIIB (T4 [secondary to malignant pleural effusion only], any N, M0) disease
Incompletely resected or unresectable disease
Pleural effusions, ascites, or laboratory parameters cannot be only evidence of disease
Measurable disease or nonmeasurable disease documented by CT scan
No known brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times ULN ( ≤ 5 times ULN if due to liver metastases)
Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN ( ≤ 5 times ULN if due to bone metastases)
Creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min OR creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
Platelet count ≥ 75,000/mm³
Zubrod 0-2
No history of allergic reaction to compounds of similar chemical or biological composition as pemetrexed disodium
Must provide smoking history
No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission
Not pregnant or nursing
Fertile patients must use effective contraception
Able to swallow pills

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

No more than 2 prior systemic therapies (including epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor)
At least 28 days since prior systemic therapy
Patients treated with prior erlotinib or gefitinib must have shown progression since treatment
No prior pemetrexed disodium

At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered

Must have measurable or nonmeasurable disease outside previously irradiated area or a new lesion within previously irradiated area
At least 14 days since prior palliative radiotherapy and recovered
At least 28 days since prior thoracic or major surgery and recovered
No concurrent surgery
No other concurrent therapy (hormonal, biologic or radiotherapy) for this disease
No concurrent antiretroviral therapy
Patients should discontinue non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with longer half lives (etodolac, ketordac, sulindac, naproxen, naproxen sodium, oxaprozin, nabumetone, diflunisal, salsalate, celecoxib, rofecoxib, valdecoxib, meloxicam, piroxicam) at least 5 days before and for 2 days following pemetrexed treatment