Vaccine Therapy, Chemotherapy, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer That Cannot Be Removed With Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer

  * Stage III (locally advanced) disease
* Unresectable disease
* Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-positive (staining ≥ 20% of cells) tumor by immunohistochemistry
* HLA-A2-positive
* No distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

* 18 and over

Performance status

* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

* At least 6 months

Hematopoietic

* Granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Absolute lymphocyte count ≥ 600/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL

Hepatic

* Bilirubin \< 1.5 mg/dL
* AST ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal
* Hepatitis B and C negative

Renal

* Creatinine normal OR
* Creatinine clearance \> 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

* No unstable or newly diagnosed angina pectoris
* No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
* No New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure

Immunologic

* HIV negative
* No altered immune function
* No active or history of eczema
* No atopic dermatitis
* No autoimmune disease, including any of the following:

  * Autoimmune neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or hemolytic anemia
  * Systemic lupus erythematosus
  * Sjögren's syndrome
  * Scleroderma
  * Myasthenia gravis
  * Goodpasture's syndrome
  * Addison's disease
  * Hashimoto's thyroiditis
  * Active Graves' disease
  * Multiple sclerosis
* No known history of allergy or serious reaction to prior vaccination with vaccina
* No known allergy to eggs
* No active or history of extensive psoriasis, severe acneiform rash, impetigo, varicella zoster, burns, or other traumatic or pruritic skin condition

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 months after study participation
* No history of seizures or encephalitis
* Able to avoid close household contact with the following individuals for at least 3 weeks after vaccinia vaccination:

  * Children under 3 years of age
  * Pregnant or nursing women
  * Individuals with a history of or active eczema or other eczematoid skin disorders
  * Individuals with other acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions (e.g., atopic dermatitis, impetigo, burns, varicella zoster, severe acne, or other open rashes or wounds)
  * Immunodeficient or immunosuppressed individuals, including HIV-positive persons, by disease or therapy
* No other active malignancy within the past 2 years
* No other concurrent serious illness

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* At least 3 years since prior immunotherapy with related vaccinia and fowlpox vaccines
* At least 3 years since prior antigen-specific peptides
* No other concurrent immunotherapy

Chemotherapy

* No prior paclitaxel or carboplatin for lung cancer
* At least 3 years since prior chemotherapy
* No other concurrent chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy

* No concurrent steroids, except for any of the following:

  * Topical steroids
  * Inhaled steroids for mild or moderate asthma
  * Dexamethasone as premedication for paclitaxel OR for short-term doses (48-72 hours in duration) to control refractory nausea that is not responding to other antiemetics
  * Systemic corticosteroids for ≥ grade 3 radiation pneumonitis
* No steroid eye-drops for at least 3 weeks after vaccinia vaccination
* No concurrent hormonal therapy
* No concurrent systemic glucocorticoids

Radiotherapy

* No prior radiotherapy to the lung fields
* No prior thoracic radiotherapy for lung cancer
* No other concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

* Surgical scars must be healed
* No prior splenectomy
* No concurrent major surgical procedure

Other

* Recovered from all prior therapy
* No other concurrent anticancer agent or therapy