S0720: Adjuvant Therapy Based on Gene Expression in Stage IA and IB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer

  * Stage IA (longest tumor diameter 2-3 cm) or stage IB disease
* Must have undergone preoperative CT scan of the chest (including the entire liver and adrenals) with IV contrast AND a whole body PET scan or a combined PET/CT scan with no evidence of N1, N2, N3, or M1 disease within 42 days prior to surgery
* A whole body PET scan or a combined PET/CT must be performed within 84 days

  * Any finding on PET scan that clinically suggests N1, N2, N3, or M1 disease must have been cleared by further evaluation, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

    * Ultrasonography, X-ray radiology, magnetic resonance imaging, or nuclear medicine imaging
* Completely resected (R0) disease by lobectomy, bilobectomy, or pneumonectomy performed by open thoracotomy or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery within the past 35 days

  * Completely excised primary lesion with negative gross and microscopic margins
  * At least two mediastinal lymph node stations sampled
* Must have tumor tissue available from the surgical resection specimen AND agree to have treatment assignment determined by a gene expression analysis performed on that tissue

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Zubrod performance status 0-1
* ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10 mg/dL
* Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* AST and ALT ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* No other prior malignancy except for the following:

  * Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
  * In situ cervical cancer
  * Adequately treated stage I-II cancer from which the patient is currently in complete remission
  * Any other cancer from which the patient has been disease-free for 5 years
* Willing to provide prior smoking history

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* See Disease Characteristics
* No prior systemic chemotherapy or biologic therapy for lung cancer
* No prior thoracic radiation therapy (RT) (including RT to the chest wall)
* No other concurrent investigational agents, chemotherapeutic agents, RT, or hormonal therapy

  * Steroids administered for antiemesis, adrenal failure, or septic shock OR hormones administered for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) allowed