Bevacizumab and Docetaxel in Treating Older Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer

  * Stage III or IV disease

    * Stage III disease allowed, provided the patient is not a candidate for concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy
  * Mixed histology allowed, provided the biopsy has less than 50% squamous cell histology
* Measurable or evaluable disease

Exclusion criteria:

* Squamous cell histology
* Evidence of cavitation in the tumor
* Tumors in close proximity to major blood vessels
* No active, untreated brain metastases

  * More than 7 days since prior treatment for brain metastases AND no evidence of hemorrhage in the lesion
  * Stable or declining dose of steroids allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
* Life expectancy \> 12 weeks
* Leukocytes ≥ 3,000/μL
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/μL
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/μL
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times ULN (\< 5 times ULN if patients has liver metastases)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times normal
* Left ventricular function ≥ normal by MUGA scan or ECHO
* Urine protein:creatinine ratio ≤ 1.0 AND/OR urine protein ≤ 1+ by dipstick analysis OR protein ≤ 1 g/24-hour urine collection
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception and women should avoid breastfeeding

Exclusion criteria:

* Resting blood pressure (BP) consistently \> 140/90 mm Hg

  * Patients whose BP is controlled (≤ 140 mm Hg systolic and ≤ 90 mm Hg diastolic) after adjusting, starting, or increasing the medications are eligible
* Significant hemorrhage (i.e., \> 30 mL bleeding/episode ) or hemoptysis (i.e., \> 5 mL fresh blood in one episode) in the previous 3 months
* Evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
* Significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
* Abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within the past 6 months
* History of other active malignancies

  * If patient has other cancers such as PSA only (without clinical or radiographic evidence) prostate cancer, the patient can still be considered for this protocol if, in the clinical judgment of the treating physician, NSCLC is the most important malignancy and the other malignancy will not impact patient's overall survival
* Myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular episode within the past year
* Serious nonhealing wound or ulcer
* Significant vascular disease such as aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, or symptomatic peripheral vascular disease
* Uncontrolled concurrent illness that would limit compliance with study requirements including, but not limited to, the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * New York Heart Association class II-IV congestive heart failure
  * Unstable angina pectoris
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Psychiatric illness/social situations
* Known hypersensitivity to any component of bevacizumab

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 7 days since prior radiotherapy and recovered
* No concurrent full-dose warfarin or its equivalent (i.e., unfractionated and/or low molecular-weight heparin)
* More than 10 days since prior and no concurrent aspirin ≥ 325 mg/day or chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
* More than 28 days since prior and no concurrent major surgical procedure or open biopsy
* More than 7 days since prior core biopsy or other minor procedure, excluding placement of a vascular access device
* No other concurrent investigational agents, commercial agents, or therapies
* More than 30 days since prior participation in a trial involving an investigational agent
* No prior chemotherapy