Carboplatin, Pemetrexed Disodium, and Bevacizumab for Patients With Stage III or IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Who Are Light/Never Smokers

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically confirmed primary lung carcinoma

  * Non-squamous histology
  * Advanced disease defined as stage IIIB disease with cytologically documented malignant pleural or pericardial effusion or stage IV disease
* Available pathology block or unstained slides from initial or subsequent diagnosis

  * Must have undergone ≥ 1 core biopsy
  * No patients whose diagnosis was made through a fine-needle aspirate
* No uncontrolled pleural effusions, ascites, or third-space fluid collections
* Meets 1 of the following criteria:

  * Non-smoker, defined as patients who smoked ≤ 100 cigarettes in their lifetime
  * Former light smoker, defined as patients who smoked between \> 100 cigarettes AND ≤ 10 pack-years AND quit ≥ 1 year ago
* No known central nervous system disease, except for treated brain metastases meeting the following criteria:

  * No evidence of progression or hemorrhage after treatment
  * No ongoing requirement for dexamethasone as ascertained by clinical examination and brain imaging (MRI or CT scan) during the screening period
  * Stable doses of anticonvulsants are allowed
  * Treatment for brain metastases may include whole-brain radiotherapy, radiosurgery (gamma knife, LINAC, or equivalent), or a combination as deemed appropriate by the treating physician
  * No patients with central nervous system (CNS) metastases treated by neurosurgical resection
  * No brain biopsy within the past 3 months

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
* Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ≤ 2.5 times ULN
* Calculated creatinine clearance \> 45 mL/min OR creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Prothrombin time ≤ 1.5 times ULN
* Partial thromboplastin time ≤ ULN
* Urine protein:creatinine ratio ≤ 1.0
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Patients with a history of hypertension are eligible provided it is well controlled (BP \< 150/100 mm Hg) on a stable regimen of antihypertensive therapy

  * No history of hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy
* Able and compliant with folic acid and B12 supplementation
* Able to swallow tablets intact or dissolved in water
* No dysphagia or active gastrointestinal (GI) disease or disorder that alters GI motility or absorption
* No lack of integrity of the GI tract (e.g., a significant surgical resection of the stomach or small bowel)
* No abdominal fistula, GI perforation, or intraabdominal abscess within the past 6 months
* None of the following:

  * Ongoing or active infection
  * Symptomatic congestive heart failure (NYHA class II-IV)
  * Cardiac arrhythmia
  * Psychiatric illness, social situations, or any other medical condition that would limit compliance with study requirements
* No myocardial infarction or other evidence of arterial thrombotic disease (angina) within the past 6 months
* No history of cerebral vascular accident or transient ischemic attack within the past 6 months
* No significant vascular disease (e.g., aortic aneurysm requiring surgical repair or recent peripheral arterial thrombosis) within the past 6 months
* No history of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy
* No ongoing hemoptysis, defined as ≥ ½ teaspoon of bright red blood

  * Patients with procedure-related hemoptysis that has resolved post-procedure are eligible
* No serious nonhealing wound, ulcer, bone fracture, or significant traumatic injury within the past 28 days
* No known hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human antibodies

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* No prior chemotherapy

  * Patient must be chemotherapy naive
  * Prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy allowed provided it was completed ≥ 6 months ago
* No prior anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy
* At least 3 weeks since prior major surgery
* At least 1 week since prior radiotherapy
* More than 28 days since prior and no concurrent treatment with an investigational agent
* More than 7 days since prior core biopsy
* Concurrent daily treatment with aspirin or NSAIDs are eligible provided patients are able to interrupt NSAIDs 2 days before (5 days for long-acting NSAIDs), the day of, and for 2 days following the administration of pemetrexed disodium
* No concurrent treatment with dipyridamole (Persantine), ticlopidine (Ticlid), clopidogrel (Plavix), and/or cilostazol (Pletal)