Carboplatin With Either Paclitaxel Poliglumex or Paclitaxel in Treating Women With Stage IIIB, Stage IV, or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

  * Cytologic specimens obtained by brushings, washings, or needle aspiration of a defined lesion or from a pleural effusion are acceptable; sputum cytology alone is not acceptable for determining cell type
* Must meet one of the following criteria:

  * Recurrent disease following completion of radiation or surgery
  * Stage IIIB disease and not a candidate for combined modality therapy (primary radiation therapy or surgery)
  * Stage IV disease
* Patients may have either measurable or nonmeasurable disease according to RECIST criteria
* Baseline estradiol \> 30 pg/mL

  * Patients on hormone replacement therapy are eligible provided baseline estradiol \> 30 pg/mL
* Patients with known brain metastases must have received standard antitumor treatment (e.g. whole brain radiation, stereotactic radioablation, or surgery) for their CNS metastases as defined by the site's institutional standards

  * Neurologic function must have been stable for 2 weeks before randomization and patients must either be off steroid therapy for their brain metastases or on a tapering regimen
  * Patients must have recovered from therapy for their brain metastases with no evidence of significant unstable neurological symptoms within the 4 weeks before study randomization
* No evidence of small cell carcinoma, carcinoid, or mixed small cell/non-small cell histology

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Female
* ECOG performance score 0-2
* Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks
* Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL (may be achieved with transfusion)
* Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times ULN (CTC grade 1) (patients with Gilbert syndrome or other hereditary bilirubin defects may be included regardless of bilirubin levels)
* SGOT and SGPT ≤ 2.5 times ULN (CTC grade 0 or 1) (5 times ULN \[CTC grade 0 to 2\] if due to liver metastases)
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN except for elevated alkaline phosphatase with laboratory documentation that demonstrates bone origin
* No pregnant women or nursing mothers
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study participation
* No known hypersensitivity to study drugs or excipients
* Meets all of the following criteria:

  * No weight loss \> 10% in previous 6 months
  * Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ≤ 600 IU/L (central laboratory) regardless of weight loss
  * LDH ≤ 400 IU/L (central laboratory) and no weight loss ≥ 5% in previous 6 months
  * BMI ≤ 35
* No concurrent primary malignancies except for carcinoma in situ or non-melanoma skin cancer
* No neuropathy grade 2 or greater
* No clinically significant active infection for which active therapy is underway
* No unstable medical conditions including unstable angina or myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

  * Patients with evidence of cardiac conduction abnormalities are eligible if their cardiac status is stable
* No circumstance that would preclude completion of the study or the required follow-up

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* Recovered from major surgery
* At least 7 days since prior local palliative radiotherapy
* At least 30 days since prior radiation therapy with curative intent
* At least 4 weeks since prior investigational therapy, unless local requirements are more stringent
* No prior systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of lung cancer, including systemic radiosensitizers used to treat brain metastases or any biologic agents
* No concurrent non-protocol-specified systemic antitumor therapy
* No concurrent amifostine, investigational agents, other cytotoxic agents for this disease
* No concurrent radiotherapy (with the exception of radiotherapy for brain or bone metastases for palliative purposes or radiotherapy for a condition other than NSCLC that was ongoing at the time of randomization)

  * Patients receiving palliative radiotherapy (treatment for symptomatic metastatic disease) may be treated while on study