Paclitaxel + Carboplatin With/Out Cediranib Maleate in Stage III or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), meeting 1 of the following stage criteria:

  * Stage IIIB disease

    * Patients without pleural effusion who are not candidates for combined modality treatment OR who were treated at centers where combined modality treatment is not considered standard treatment are eligible
  * Stage IV disease
* Measurable disease (phase II)

  * Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by x-ray, ultrasound, physical exam, or conventional CT scan OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
  * Measurable lesions must be outside a previous radiotherapy field if they are the sole site of disease, unless disease progression has been documented
  * No significant central thoracic lesion with any appreciable cavitation
* Measurable or nonmeasurable disease (phase III)
* No necrotic or hemorrhagic tumor or metastases
* No untreated brain or meningeal metastases

  * CT scans are not required to rule out disease unless there is clinical suspicion of CNS disease
  * Patients with previously treated stable brain metastases (by radiography or clinical exam) are eligible provided they are asymptomatic and do not require corticosteroids

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

* ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

* Not specified

Hematopoietic

* Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* No overt bleeding (i.e., ≥ 30 mL/episode) within the past 3 months

Hepatic

* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* ALT ≤ 2 times ULN (\< 5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)

Renal

* Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
* Proteinuria ≤ grade 1

Cardiovascular

* Mean QTc ≤ 470 msec (with Bazett's correction) by ECG
* No unstable angina
* No congestive heart failure
* No myocardial infarction within the past year
* No cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring medication
* No history of 2nd- or 3rd-degree atrioventricular conduction defects
* No untreated or uncontrolled cardiovascular condition
* No symptomatic cardiac dysfunction
* No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., resting blood pressure ≥ 150/100 mm Hg despite antihypertensive therapy)
* No history of labile hypertension
* No history of poor compliance with antihypertensive medication
* No history of familial long-QT syndrome

Pulmonary

* No clinically relevant hemoptysis (i.e., ≥ 5 mL fresh blood) within the past 4 weeks

  * Flecks of blood only in sputum allowed

Other

* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective (double method for females; barrier method for males) contraception
* Able and willing to participate in the quality of life assessment
* No peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1
* No prior allergic reaction to drugs containing Cremophor EL®
* No active or uncontrolled infection
* No serious illness or medical condition which would preclude study compliance
* No inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
* No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or in situ cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

* At least 14 days since prior epidermal growth factor receptor-inhibitor therapy (e.g., tyrosine kinase inhibitor, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, or other agents)
* No prior antiangiogenesis therapy, including any of the following:

  * Bevacizumab
  * Cediranib maleate
  * AZD6474
  * PTK787/ZK222584 (PTK/ZK)
  * Sunitinib malate
* Concurrent epoetin alfa allowed

Chemotherapy

* At least 12 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy

  * Combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens for locally advanced stage IIIB disease is not considered adjuvant therapy and is not allowed
* No prior chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent NSCLC

Endocrine therapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 1 week since prior steroids

Radiotherapy

* See Disease Characteristics
* At least 21 days since prior radiotherapy except for low-dose non-myelosuppressive radiotherapy with approval
* Concurrent palliative radiotherapy allowed with approval

Surgery

* At least 14 days since prior major surgery

Other

* Recovered from prior therapy
* Prior treatment with cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors allowed
* Concurrent prophylactic anticoagulation (e.g., warfarin) allowed provided requirements for INR are met
* No potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 and 2C8, including any of the following drugs:

  * Amiodarone hydrochloride
  * Clarithromycin
  * Citalopram hydrobromide
  * Erythromycin
  * Omeprazole
  * Simvastatin
  * Atorvastatin
  * Lovastatin
  * Montelukast sodium
  * Verapamil hydrochloride
  * Ketoconazole
  * Miconazole
  * Indinovir and other antivrails
  * Diltiazem
* No other concurrent experimental drug or anticancer therapy