S9900: Surgery With or Without Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically proven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), meeting 1 of the following staging criteria:

  * Stage IB (T2, N0)
  * Stage II

    * T1-2, N1 with negative mediastinoscopy OR
    * T3, N0
  * Selected stage IIIA with negative mediastinoscopies

    * T3, N1, excluding superior sulcus
    * Positive level 10 hilar nodes allowed if mediastinoscopy negative
* Apical tumors with no clinical symptoms allowed
* No symptomatic tumors (T3, N0 or T3, N1) involving the superior sulcus

  * No Pancoast's tumors
* Negative mediastinoscopy required in all patients with clinically positive mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes to ensure no N2 disease
* Bidimensionally measurable or evaluable disease by chest x-ray or contrast-enhanced CT scan

  * T3, N0 disease assessable only by bronchoscopy must be affirmed by 2 observers and documented by photograph that includes main carina

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* Zubrod 0 or 1

Life expectancy:

* Not specified

Hematopoietic:

* Granulocyte count at least 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* WBC at least 4,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* SGOT or SGPT no greater than 2 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2 times ULN

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN
* Creatinine clearance at least 50 mL/min

Pulmonary:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Preresection FEV\_1 greater than 2.0 L OR
* Predicted postresection FEV\_1 greater than 1.0 L
* No postobstructive pneumonia

Other:

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No serious infection
* No other serious medical condition that would preclude study compliance
* No prior allergic reactions to drugs containing Cremophor
* No prior malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* No prior systemic chemotherapy for NSCLC
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* Not specified

Radiotherapy:

* No prior systemic radiotherapy for NSCLC
* No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery:

* At least 5 years since prior resection of lung disease

Other:

* No other concurrent investigational therapy
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy