ZD 1839 Plus Combination Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven non-small cell lung cancer Stage III disease that is not curable with surgery or radiotherapy OR Stage IV disease Chemotherapy naive

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: 0-2 Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm3 WBC at least 4,000/mm3 Hepatic: ALT and AST less than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (less than 5 times ULN if liver metastasis present) Bilirubin less than 1.25 times ULN Renal: Creatinine less than 1.5 times ULN Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: No evidence of severe or uncontrolled cardiovascular disease Pulmonary: No evidence of severe or uncontrolled pulmonary disease

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: Not specified Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Endocrine therapy: No concurrent systemic endocrine therapy that is known to have an effect on non-small cell lung cancer Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics Prior localized irradiation allowed Surgery: See Disease Characteristics Prior surgery allowed Other: No concurrent drugs with known significant cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitory effects (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, troleandomycin, erythromycin, diltiazem, verapamil)