CCI-779 in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB (With Pleural Effusion) or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

  * Stage IIIB (with pleural effusion) or IV disease
* Measurable disease

  * At least 1 lesion ≥ 2.0 cm by conventional techniques OR ≥ 1.0 cm by spiral CT scan
  * The following are not considered measurable disease:

    * Bone lesions
    * Leptomeningeal disease
    * Ascites
    * Pleural/pericardial effusion
    * Inflammatory breast disease
    * Lymphangitis cutis/pulmonis
    * Cystic lesions
    * Abdominal masses that are not confirmed and followed by imaging techniques
* Blood and tissue blocks available
* Must have accessible tumor (i.e., superficial lesions such as lymph node, subcutaneous nodules) to provide core needle biopsy tissue before and during study treatment
* No known brain metastases
* Performance status - ECOG 0-2
* At least 12 weeks
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL
* Bilirubin ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST ≤ 3 times ULN (5 times ULN if hepatic metastases are present)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Serum fasting cholesterol ≤ 350 mg/dL
* Serum fasting triglycerides ≤ 400 mg/dL
* HIV negative
* No uncontrolled infection
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or non-invasive carcinomas
* No concurrent severe underlying disease that would preclude study participation
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 3 months after study treatment
* No prior biologic therapy
* No prior gene therapy
* No prior immunotherapy
* No concurrent immunotherapy
* No concurrent prophylactic growth factors to support neutrophil count
* No prior chemotherapy for NSCLC except low-dose cisplatin as a radiosensitizer
* No other concurrent chemotherapy
* No concurrent dexamethasone (10 mg IV)
* No prior radiotherapy to 30% or more of bone marrow
* Concurrent radiotherapy for underlying malignancy and non-target sites (e.g., painful pre-existing bony metastasis) allowed
* No other concurrent investigational therapy
* No concurrent immunosuppressive therapy