Cisplatin, Pemetrexed Disodium, and Radiation Therapy Followed by Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologic or cytologic diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), meeting 1 of the following staging criteria:

  * Stage IIIA disease, meeting all of the following criteria:

    * Mediastinal lymph node involvement

      * Greater than one mediastinal lymph node enlarged on CT scan, confirmed by positron emission tomography (PET) scan
    * Paralyzed left vocal cord with separate lung primary distinct from the aorto-pulmonary lymph nodes on the CT scan
  * Stage IIIB disease, meeting all of the following criteria:

    * N3 lymph node involvement

      * Enlarged N3 lymph nodes on CT scan confirmed by PET scan

        * Lymph node involvement may not extend to cervical lymph nodes other than supraclavicular lymph nodes
    * Right-sided primary tumor with left vocal cord paralysis
    * Evidence of tumor extension into the mediastinum and/or mediastinal structures by mediastinoscopy, bronchoscopy, or CT scan
    * No evidence of malignant pleural effusion unless effusion is only evident on CT scan
    * No more than 1 parenchymal lesions on the same or opposite sides of the lung
* No brain metastases by CT scan or MRI

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* SWOG performance status 0 or 1
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min
* Bilirubin normal
* Transaminases (SGOT and/or SGPT) ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Total lung volume (i.e., right and left lung minus the gross tumor volume) receiving greater than 20 Gy of radiation ≤ 40%
* FEV\_1 ≥ 70% of predicted
* DLCO ≥ 50 mL/min
* No other concurrent malignancy

  * Prior malignancy allowed provided it is in clinical control and is not likely to impact clinical outcome in the opinion of the treating physician
* No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2
* No serious medical illness, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

  * Uncontrolled congestive heart failure
  * Uncontrolled angina
  * Myocardial infarction
  * Cerebrovascular event within the past 6 months
  * History of chronic active hepatitis
  * History of HIV infection
  * Active bacterial infection
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Must be willing and able to take folic acid, cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12), or dexamethasone

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy for NSCLC
* No concurrent participation in another therapeutic investigational study
* Concurrent ibuprofen (400 mg four times daily) allowed during pemetrexed disodium administration provided the patient has normal renal function
* No concurrent aspirin or other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 2 days before, during, and for 2 days after pemetrexed disodium administration

  * Patients on long-acting NSAIDs (e.g. naproxen sodium, diflunisal, nabumetone, or celecoxib) must be willing or able to discontinue usage 5 days prior to, during, and for 2 days after pemetrexed disodium administration