Genetic Changes in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Who Are Receiving Vinorelbine and Gemcitabine Before Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed non-small cell carcinoma of the lung

  * May be confirmed at the initial bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy
  * Stage IB (T2, N0, M0)
  * Stage IIA (T1, N1, M0)
  * Stage IIB (T2-3, N0-1, M0)
  * Stage IIIA (T1-3, N1-2, M0)
  * stage IIIB (2 lesions in 1 lobe \[T4\])
* No N3 lymph nodes (contralateral mediastinal/hilar and supraclavicular/scaline) OR T4 primary tumor (malignant pleural effusion or mediastinal invasion) by clinical staging criteria (seen on CT or PET scan and proven by mediastinoscopy)
* No metastatic disease (except N1 or N2 disease) or malignant pleural effusion\* detected on preoperative evaluation

  * No exudative effusions (even if cytologically negative)

    * Pleural fluid is considered exudative if the following apply:

      * Ratio of pleural fluid protein to serum protein is greater than 0.5
      * Ratio of pleural fluid lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) to serum LDH is at least 0.6
      * Pleural fluid LDH is greater than 200 IU/L
  * No multiple areas of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake\*\* outside the area of the primary tumor in the lung NOTE: \*Effusions visible only on CT scan and not large enough for safe thoracentesis are allowed

NOTE: \*\*If only 1 area shows an increase in FDG uptake, the area of concern requires further evaluation (e.g., biopsy) to exclude metastatic disease

* Bidimensionally measurable or evaluable disease\* NOTE: \*Lesions apparent on chest CT scan (e.g., ill-defined masses associated with post obstructive changes and mediastinal or hilar adenopathy measurable in 1 dimension) are considered evaluable

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* Not specified

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

* WBC at least 3,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL

Hepatic

* Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL
* AST or ALT no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal

Renal

* Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Deemed medically fit for surgical resection
* No other active malignancy within the past 2 years except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No psychological, sociological, or geographical condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* Concurrent participation in the RPCI vaccine study (postoperative vaccination with autologous tumor-associated antigen-pulsed dendritic cells) is allowed

Chemotherapy

* No prior chemotherapy for lung cancer
* No concurrent participation in another study involving other chemotherapy agents

Endocrine therapy

* Not specified

Radiotherapy

* No prior radiotherapy for lung cancer
* No concurrent participation in another study involving radiotherapy

Surgery

* No prior surgery for lung cancer
* More than 3 months since other prior major surgery (e.g., coronary artery bypass graft)

Other

* No other prior therapy for lung cancer
* No other concurrent antineoplastic agents
* Concurrent participation in observational studies requiring bloodwork, radiographs, pulmonary function tests, or quality of life studies is allowed