Carboxyamidotriazole in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* TRACK I: Histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC stage III or IV; disease must be stable or responding after standard chemotherapy (with or without TRT) for a minimum of 3 or a maximum of 6 months
* TRACK I: Not required to have measurable or evaluable disease at study entry
* TRACK I: Must have had one and only one prior chemotherapy regimen for NSCLC (radiosensitizers are allowed)
* TRACK I: =\< 6 weeks from last dose of chemotherapy or TRT
* TRACK I: ECOG PS 0, 1, or 2
* TRACK I: ANC \>= 1500/mm\^3
* TRACK I: PLT \>= 100,000/mm\^3
* TRACK I: HgB \>= 10.0 g/dL
* TRACK I: Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x UNL
* TRACK I: Alkaline phosphatase =\< 3 x UNL
* TRACK I: AST =\< 3 x UNL
* TRACK I: Creatinine =\< 1.5 x UNL
* TRACK I: Expected survival of at least three months
* TRACK II AT REGISTRATION: Histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC stage III or IV
* TRACK II AT REGISTRATION: No prior chemotherapy for NSCLC
* TRACK II AT REGISTRATION: Expected survival of at least six months
* TRACK II AT REGISTRATION: Willingness to provide blood sample
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: STAB, PR, CR, REGR following 3-6 months of chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Must have had one and only one prior chemotherapy regimen for NSCLC (radiosensitizers are allowed)
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: =\< 6 weeks from last dose of chemotherapy or TRT
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: ECOG PS 0, 1, or 2
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: ANC \>= 1500/mm\^3
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: PLT \>= 100,000/mm\^3
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: HgB \>= 10.0 g/dL
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x UNL
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Alkaline phosphatase =\< 3 x UNL
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: AST =\< 3 x UNL
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Creatinine =\< 1.5 x UNL
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Expected survival of at least three months

Exclusion Criteria:

* TRACK I: Pregnant, nursing women, females or sexual partners of childbearing potential not using adequate contraception (condoms, diaphragm, birth control pills, injections, intrauterine device \[IUD\], or abstinence, etc.) while on study treatment and for two months after discontinuing study treatment as this regimen may be harmful to a developing fetus or nursing child
* TRACK I: Untreated brain metastases
* TRACK I: Concomitant participation in a phase III lung cancer treatment trial
* TRACK I: Planned concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy or radiotherapy
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Pregnant, nursing women, females or sexual partners of childbearing potential not using adequate contraception (condoms, diaphragm, birth control pills, injections, intrauterine device \[IUD\], or abstinence, etc.) while on study treatment and for two months after discontinuing study treatment as this regimen may be harmful to a developing fetus or nursing child
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Untreated brain metastases
* TRACK II AT RANDOMIZATION: Planned concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy