Docetaxel With or Without Oblimersen in Treating Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of non-small lung cancer (NSCLC)

  * Stage IIIB (malignant pleural/pericardial effusion) or IV
  * Relapsed or refractory disease
* Measurable disease that has not been irradiated
* Previously treated with 1, and only 1, cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic setting
* No untreated or symptomatic brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 18 and over

Performance status:

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm\^3 (without growth factor support)
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* No bleeding or coagulation disorder

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* ALT and AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
* Albumin at least 3.0 g/dL
* PT no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR INR no greater than 1.3
* PTT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
* No chronic hepatitis
* No chronic cirrhosis

Renal:

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

* No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
* No uncontrolled congestive heart failure

Pulmonary:

* No severe pulmonary disease
* No requirement for oxygen due to pneumonectomy
* No severe pleural effusion secondary to NSCLC

Immunologic:

* HIV negative
* No active infection
* No active autoimmune disease

Other:

* No other concurrent active cancer
* No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
* No uncontrolled seizure disorder
* No peripheral neuropathy grade 2 or greater
* No active peptic ulcer disease
* No other significant medical disease
* No intellectual, emotional, or physical disability that would preclude study participation
* No neurologic disorders, overt psychosis, mental disability, or evidence of a limited capacity to give informed consent or to comply with study treatment
* No known hypersensitivity to phosphorothioate-containing oligonucleotides
* No history of hypersensitivity to drugs containing the excipient Tween 80 (polysorbate 80)
* Satisfactory venous access for multi-day continuous infusion
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* At least 3 weeks since prior cytokines or vaccine therapy for NSCLC
* At least 3 weeks since prior immunotherapy or biologic therapy for NSCLC
* No concurrent anticancer biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy for NSCLC
* No prior docetaxel
* No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

* No concurrent corticosteroids\* except for the following conditions:

  * CNS disease
  * Underlying lung disease NOTE: \*Dose must be stable or decreasing for at least 4 weeks before study participation

Radiotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy for NSCLC
* No prior radiotherapy to 25% or more of bone marrow (e.g., whole pelvis)
* No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy

Surgery:

* At least 3 weeks since prior surgery for NSCLC
* No prior organ allograft

Other:

* Recovered from prior therapy
* Prior first-line epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) administered with cytotoxic therapy are allowed
* At least 3 weeks since prior investigational drugs
* At least 3 weeks since other prior therapy NSCLC
* No prior anticancer therapy subsequent to the first (and only) prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen
* No prior second-line EGFR therapy
* No prior oblimersen (G3139)
* No other concurrent investigational or anticancer therapies
* No concurrent anticoagulation therapy except for warfarin (1 mg/day) for central line prophylaxis