Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy With or Without Panitumumab in Treating Patients With Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed\* non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including any of the following histologies:

  * Adenocarcinoma
  * Adenosquamous
  * Large cell carcinoma
  * Squamous cell carcinoma
  * Non-lobar and non-diffuse bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma
  * NSCLC not otherwise specified NOTE: \*Documentation of NSCLC may originate from the mediastinal node biopsy or aspiration
* Stage IIIA (T1-T3) disease with a single primary lung parenchymal lesion AND positive ipsilateral mediastinal node or nodes (N2) with or without positive ipsilateral hilar nodes (N1)

  * N2 nodes must be separate from primary tumor by either CT scan or surgical exploration
  * Maximum nodal diameter of involved N2 nodes cannot exceed 3.0 cm
  * N2 status must be pathologically confirmed to be positive by one of the following methods\*:

    * Mediastinoscopy
    * Mediastinotomy (Chamberlain procedure)
    * Transesophageal needle biopsy using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS-TBNA)
    * Endobronchial ultrasound biopsy using endoscopic ultrasound guidance (EBUS-TBNA)
    * Thoracotomy
    * Video-assisted thoracoscopy
    * Transbronchial needle biopsy by Wang technique (TBNA)
    * Fine-needle aspiration under CT guidance NOTE: \*PET positivity in the ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes is not sufficient to establish N2 nodal status
  * Ipsilateral mediastinal nodes associated with right-sided tumor must be biopsied unless all of the following are true:

    * Tumor is left sided
    * Paralyzed left true vocal cord documented by bronchoscopy or indirect laryngoscopy
    * Nodes visible in the anterior/posterior (level 5) region on CT scan
    * Distinct primary tumor separate from nodes visible on CT scan
    * Histologic (biopsy) or cytologic (needle aspiration or sputum) proof of non-small cell histology from the primary tumor
  * If lymph nodes in the contralateral mediastinum and neck are visible on contrast CT scan of the chest and are \> 1.0 cm in short axis or if contralateral involvement is suggested by PET scan, then the nodes must be confirmed to be negative
* Measurable disease as determined by contrast-enhanced CT scan

  * Primary lung tumor distinct from mediastinal lymph nodes
* If a pleural effusion is present, the following criteria must be met to exclude malignant involvement (incurable M1a disease):

  * When pleural fluid is visible on both the CT scan and on a chest x-ray, a pleuracentesis is required to confirm that the pleural fluid is cytologically negative.
  * Exudative pleural effusions are excluded, regardless of cytology;
  * Effusions that are minimal (i.e. not visible under ultrasound guidance) that are too small to safely tap are eligible.
* No palpable lymph nodes in the supraclavicular areas or higher in the neck, unless proven to be benign by fine-needle aspiration or biopsy
* No distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Zubrod performance status 0-1
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm³
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
* Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)
* Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Serum albumin \> 3.0 g/dL
* Serum magnesium normal (supplementation allowed)
* Not pregnant
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of treatment
* Forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) ≥ 2.0 L OR predicted post-resection FEV1 ≥ 0.8 L
* Diffusion capacity ≥ 50% predicted
* No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years, except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix
* No severe, active co-morbidity, including any of the following:

  * Current uncontrolled cardiac disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina, myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, uncontrolled congestive heart failure, or cardiomyopathy with decreased ejection fraction (\<50%)
  * Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring IV antibiotics
  * Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or that would preclude study therapy within the past 4 weeks
  * Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects
  * AIDS or known HIV positivity
* No unintentional weight loss ≥ 5% of body weight within the past 6 months
* No prior severe infusion reaction to a monoclonal antibody
* No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior systemic chemotherapy or biological therapy (including erlotinib hydrochloride or similar agents) for the study cancer

  * Prior chemotherapy for a different cancer allowed
* No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields
* No prior therapy that specifically and directly targets the EGFR pathway