Sorafenib and High-Dose Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, and External-Beam Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* Histologically or cytologically documented non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

  * Any of the following subtypes allowed:

    * Adenocarcinoma (including bronchoalveolar cell)
    * Squamous cell carcinoma
    * Large cell anaplastic carcinoma (including giant and clear cell carcinomas)
    * Poorly differentiated (not otherwise specified) NSCLC
  * No metastasis (patients must be M0)
  * Stage IIIA (T1 or T2 with N2 or T3N1-2) or stage IIIB (T4 with any N or any T with N2 or N3) disease
* Measurable disease
* Tumors adjacent to a vertebral body are allowed as long as all gross disease can be encompassed in the radiation boost field

  * The boost volume must be limited to \< 50% of the ipsilateral lung volume
* Pleural effusion that is a transudate, cytologically negative, and nonbloody allowed if the radiation oncologists feel the tumor can still be encompassed within a reasonable field of radiotherapy

  * Pleural effusions seen on the chest CT but too small to tap allowed

Exclusion criteria:

* Totally resected tumors
* Exudative, bloody, or cytologically malignant effusions
* Known brain metastasis

  * Patients with neurological symptoms must undergo a CT scan/MRI of the brain to exclude brain metastasis

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

* Zubrod performance status 0-1
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (prior to transfusions)
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL
* AST or ALT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Glucose ≤ 2 times ULN
* Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* FEV\_1 ≥ 1,200 mL
* Weight loss ≤ 10% over the past 3 months
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Women of childbearing potential and male participants who are unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method of contraception throughout the study and for 4 weeks after completion of treatment or those who are using a prohibited contraceptive method
* INR \< 1.5 or a PT/PTT within normal limits

Exclusion criteria:

* Known allergy to murine proteins or Cremophor EL
* Active pulmonary infection not responsive to conventional antibiotics
* History of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring ≥ 3 hospitalizations over the past year
* Cardiac disease including any of the following:

  * Congestive heart failure \> class II NYHA
  * Unstable angina (anginal symptoms at rest) or new onset angina (began within the last 3 months)
  * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months
  * Cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy
* Patients with neuropathy \> grade 1
* Evidence of malignancy in the past 2 years except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or other in situ cancer
* Uncontrolled hypertension defined as systolic blood pressure \> 150 mm Hg or diastolic pressure \> 90 mm Hg, despite optimal medical management
* Known HIV infection or chronic hepatitis B
* Active clinically serious infection \> CTCAE grade 2
* Thrombolic or embolic events, such as a cerebrovascular accident including transient ischemic attacks, within the past 6 months
* Pulmonary hemorrhage or bleeding event ≥ CTCAE grade 2 within the past 4 weeks
* Any other hemorrhage or bleeding event ≥ CTCAE Grade 3 within the past 4 weeks
* Serious nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture
* Evidence or history of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
* Known or suspected allergy to sorafenib tosylate or any agent given in the course of this trial
* Any condition that impairs patient's ability to swallow whole pills
* Any malabsorption problem
* Significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Inclusion criteria:

* Recovered from exploratory thoracotomy
* Concurrent anti-coagulation treatment with an agent such as warfarin or heparin allowed provided INR or PT/PTT requirements are met

Exclusion criteria:

* Prior systemic chemotherapy for lung cancer and/or thoracic/neck radiotherapy for any reason
* Prior surgical resection of present cancer
* Prior therapy with any molecular-targeted drugs (for lung cancer)
* Currently participating in other phase III therapeutic clinical trials and/or who have participated in other phase III therapeutic clinical trials in the previous 30 days
* Major surgery or open biopsy within the past 4 weeks
* Concurrent Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) or rifampin (rifampicin)
* Other concurrent anticancer drugs, including hormonal, immunotherapeutic, or chemotherapeutic agents

  * Steroids for acute symptom management, adrenal failure, septic shock, or as antiemetics allowed
  * Hormones administered for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) allowed
* Amifostine concurrently with radiotherapy or within 3 months of completion of radiotherapy
* Concurrent colony-stimulating factors (i.e., filgrastim \[G-CSF\] or sargramostim \[GM-CSF\])