Cryotherapy in Treating Patients With Primary Lung Cancer or Lung Metastases That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed malignant pulmonary neoplasm
* New lung lesion(s) with definitive clinical and imaging features of primary or metastatic disease allowed

  * Imaging findings compatible with localized treatment failure after prior cryotherapy allowed
* Malignant pleural effusion allowed provided it is associated with a distinct measurable pulmonary mass amenable to cryotherapy
* Metastatic disease must meet all of the following criteria:

  * Primary tumors have been resected or have been deemed controlled by other therapies
  * No other widespread metastases evident (e.g., multiple hepatic or brain metastases)
* Each pulmonary mass must be amenable to CT-guided percutaneous cryotherapy approach
* No more than 5 targeted masses for study therapy

  * Target mass defined as pulmonary, hilar, mediastinal, and/or chest wall mass \> 1 cm, but \< 10 cm in average diameter
* Unresectable disease by surgical consultation OR patient refused surgical options
* Nonenhanced and enhanced CT scan required within the past 6 weeks done at 4-5 mm increments with available soft tissue and mediastinal windows to assess size and extent of all thoracic tumors

  * PET scan required within the past 6 months noting the correlation with the above CT locations, if not already obtained by a combined PET/CT scanner

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Karnofsky performance status (PS) \> 60-100% OR WHO/ECOG/Zubrod PS 0-2
* FEV\_1 \> 30% of predicted
* DLCO \> 40% of predicted
* Platelet count ≥ 70,000/mm\^3
* INR \< 1.5
* No uncontrolled coagulopathy or bleeding diathesis
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* No serious medical illness, including any of the following:

  * Uncontrolled congestive heart failure
  * Uncontrolled angina
  * Myocardial infarction
  * Cerebrovascular event within 6 months prior to study entry
* No medical contraindication or potential problem that would preclude study compliance

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* At least 7 days since prior aspirin and aspirin-like medications
* At least 3 days since prior warfarin, clopidogrel bisulfate, or similar compounds
* No concurrent drugs causing bleeding tendencies (e.g., aspirin, warfarin, or clopidogrel bisulfate)
* No concurrent participation in other experimental studies