Docetaxel With or Without Infliximab in Treating Weight Loss, Loss of Appetite, and Fatigue in Patients With Unresectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (Infliximab Treatment Discontinued Effective 10/05/05)

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed unresectable non-small cell lung cancer that is considered incurable with other therapies
* Chemotherapy naive or previously treated disease
* Meets one of the following criteria:

  * Age 65 and over with ECOG performance status of 0-2
  * Under age 65 with ECOG performance status of 2
* No symptomatic or known untreated brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Adult

Performance status:

* See Disease Characteristics
* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

* At least 3 months

Hematopoietic:

* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3

Hepatic:

* Bilirubin normal
* AST and/or ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) if alkaline phosphatase less than ULN OR
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 4 times ULN if ALT less than ULN
* No ascites

Renal:

* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

* No prior or concurrent congestive heart failure

Pulmonary:

* No prior tuberculosis or positive purified protein derivative skin test (tuberculin test)

Other:

* No prior anaphylactic reaction to any taxane
* No known mechanical obstruction of the alimentary tract, malabsorption, or intractable vomiting (more than 5 episodes per week)
* No infection or chronic debilitating illness that would increase the risk of chemotherapy administration
* No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy of any etiology
* No edema
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
* Alert and mentally competent
* Able to complete questionnaires alone or with assistance
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior docetaxel for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Endocrine therapy:

* At least 1 month since prior adrenal steroids, androgens, progestational agents, or appetite stimulants
* No concurrent adrenal steroids, androgens, progestational agents, or appetite stimulants unless needed (e.g., steroids for CNS metastases)
* Concurrent inhaled, topical, or optical steroids allowed
* Concurrent short-term dexamethasone around days of chemotherapy administration allowed for protection against anaphylaxis and emesis

Radiotherapy:

* More than 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy
* No prior radiotherapy to more than 25% of bone marrow

Surgery:

* More than 3 weeks since prior major surgery

Other:

* More than 3 weeks since other prior antineoplastic therapy