Laboratory-Treated Autologous Lymphocytes, Aldesleukin, and GM-CSF in Treating Patients With Recurrent, Refractory, or Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

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

  * Recurrent, refractory, or metastatic disease after ≥ 1 prior first-line regimen (chemotherapy or radiotherapy)
* Documented EGFR-positive disease (any expression level) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) (may be based on archival sample)
* Measurable or evaluable disease by radiograph, CT scan, MRI, and/or physical exam
* Appropriate slides of the primary lesion must be available for review of IHC staining assessment by a central pathology team
* No clinical evidence of active brain metastases

  * Patients with brain metastases are eligible provide they have received definitive radiotherapy or chemotherapy and/or have undergone surgical resection for brain metastases
* No prior hematological malignancy

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Karnofsky performance status (PS) 60-100% OR ECOG PS 0-2
* Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Granulocytes ≥ 1,000/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 50,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8 g/dL
* BUN ≤ 2.0 times normal
* Serum creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
* Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times normal
* SGOT ≤ 1.5 times normal (with or without liver metastases)
* Hepatitis B surface antigen and HIV negative
* LVEF ≥ 45 % at rest (by MUGA)

  * No evidence of depressed left ventricular function
* FEV\_1, DLCO, and FVC ≥ 50% of the predicted value
* No other malignancy, except for the following:

  * History of curatively treated in situ squamous cell carcinoma or basal cell carcinoma of the skin
  * History of other curatively treated malignancy (except those with a hematologic origin) for which the patient has remained in complete remission \> 5 years after completing therapy (as documented by history, physical exams, tumor markers, and radiology scanning)
* No serious medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude giving informed consent or receiving intensive treatment
* No recent myocardial infarction (within the past year)
* No current angina/coronary symptoms requiring medications
* No clinical evidence of congestive heart failure requiring medical management (irrespective of MUGA results)
* No systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 130 mm Hg or diastolic BP ≥ 80 mm Hg

  * Patients with elevated BP must have it controlled by anti-hypertensive medications for at least 7 days prior to the first infusion

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy
* At least 4 weeks since prior cetuximab or small molecule EGFR-inhibitors including, but not limited to, gefitinib or erlotinib hydrochloride
* No concurrent radiotherapy
* No concurrent steroids except for treatment of adrenal failure, septic shock, or pulmonary toxicity or hormones for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)