Combination Chemotherapy and Celecoxib in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) meeting 1 of the following criteria:

  * Stage IV
  * Stage IIIB with a malignant pleural effusion
  * Locally recurrent and/or persistent disease after locoregional therapy with or without systemic chemotherapy
* Unidimensionally measurable disease

  * If the only site of measurable disease is in a previously irradiated area must have documented progression of disease in that area
* No CNS metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

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

Hepatic

* Bilirubin normal
* AST and ALT less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (if alkaline phosphatase is normal)
* Alkaline phosphatase less than 4 times ULN (if AST and ALT are normal)

Renal

* Creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dL

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study treatment
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
* No diagnosis of peptic ulcer disease or gastritis/esophagitis within the past 60 days
* No prior hypersensitivity to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), salicylates, sulfonamides, or drugs formulated with polysorbate 80
* No pre-existing grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy
* No concurrent medical condition that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* At least 1 week since prior biologic therapy
* Phase I patients:

  * Any number of prior biologic therapies allowed (e.g., chimeric antibodies or kinase inhibitors)
* Phase II patients:

  * No prior biologic therapy for recurrent/metastatic disease
* No concurrent filgrastim (G-CSF)

Chemotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
* No prior irinotecan or docetaxel
* Phase I patients:

  * Up to 2 prior chemotherapy regimens for recurrent/metastatic disease allowed (chemonaïve patients are also eligible)
* Phase II patients:

  * At least 1 year since prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy for stage I-IIIA disease
  * No prior chemotherapy for recurrent/metastatic disease

Endocrine therapy

* Less than 2 weeks of cumulative oral/IV corticosteroid use within the past 3 months

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from prior radiotherapy
* At least 3 weeks since prior extensive-field radiotherapy for recurrent/metastatic disease

Surgery

* Recovered from prior surgery

Other

* More than 60 days since prior treatment for peptic ulcer disease or gastritis/esophagitis
* No prior NSAIDs at a frequency of more than 3 times per week for a cumulative period of more than 2 weeks within the past 30 days
* No concurrent antiepileptics, cyclosporine, aspirin, or fluconazole
* No concurrent NSAIDs
* No other concurrent COX-2 inhibitors