Docetaxel and Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Progressive or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Criteria:

* No other prior malignancy except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, adequately treated stage I or II cancer for which the patient is currently in complete remission, or any other cancer for which the patient has been disease-free for 5 years.
* Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
* Progressive or recurrent NSCLC after treatment with 1 prior platinum-based chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease. Prior neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy and/or concurrent chemoradiation for early-stage disease allowed.
* At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for mitomycin C or nitrosoureas) and recovered.
* No prior docetaxel or bortezomib
* Prior epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor therapy allowed.
* Prior paclitaxel allowed
* At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery and recovered.
* At least 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants.
* No concurrent hormonal therapy, biologic therapy, or radiotherapy to measurable lesions. Concurrent palliative radiotherapy to small-field nonindicator lesions (e.g., painful bony metastases) allowed.
* Measurable disease\* with \>= 1 unidimensionally objectively measurable lesion, including any of the following:
* Lung mass (measurable on chest x-ray, tomograms, or CT scan)
* Enlarged lymph nodes
* Liver metastasis (measurable as a discrete focal lesion on radionuclide or CT scan, or ultrasound)
* Metastatic abdominal mass (measurable on CT scan with \>= 1 perpendicular diameter ≥ the distance between cuts)
* Measurable disease must be outside the previous radiation field or a new lesion must be present.
* Life expectancy \>= 12 weeks
* Progressive disease within a previously radiated field allowed.
* \[Note: \*Measurable disease DOES NOT include bone metastases or non-focal liver metastases\].
* No symptomatic or untreated brain metastasis requiring steroids. Asymptomatic, previously treated (surgical resection or radiotherapy) brain metastasis allowed provided they are neurologically stable and \>= 4 weeks since prior steroids.
* Creatinine clearance \>= 50 mL/min
* Creatinine =\< 1.6 mg/dL
* Bilirubin normal
* AST =\< 2 times upper limit of normal
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No peripheral neuropathy \>= grade 2
* Absolute granulocyte count \>= 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm³
* Cutaneous nodule
* ECOG performance status 0-1
* At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered.