Paclitaxel and Carboplatin Chemotherapy Compared With Standard Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer That Cannot Be Removed During Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed inoperable advanced non-small cell lung cancer

  • Stage IIIA, IIIB, or IV
  • Not eligible for curative radiotherapy or surgery

• Measurable or evaluable disease

  • No bony lesions as only site of measurable disease
• No symptomatic brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• Over 18

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2 (ECOG 3 allowed in some cases)

Life expectancy:

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

• WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• AST or ALT no greater than 3 times ULN (no greater than 5 times ULN for liver metastases)

Renal:

• Creatinine normal OR
• Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min

Other:

• Not pregnant
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study
• No active infection
• No other serious systemic disorder that would preclude compliance
• No second malignancy except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or adequately treated basal cell skin cancer
• No peripheral neuropathy, significant neurological disorders (e.g., seizures), or psychiatric disorders

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• Not specified

Chemotherapy:

• No prior chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• Not specified

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Prior radiotherapy allowed if measurable disease outside of irradiated field

Surgery:

• See Disease Characteristics