Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

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

  • No squamous cell carcinoma
• Untreated Stage IIIB or IV disease not suitable for surgery or radiotherapy OR patients with postoperative recurrence who had never been treated by chemotherapy
• No history of smoking or light smoking (< 10 packs a year and smoking abatement ≥ 15 years)
• At least 1 measurable tumor mass (length > 1.5 cm and width > 1.0 cm)
• No symptomatic brain metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• ECOG performance status 0-1
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 2 x 10^9/L
• Platelet count ≥ 100 x 10^9/L
• ALT and AST ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• Total bilirubin ≤1.5 times ULN
• Serum creatinine normal
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignant tumors within the past year except for basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ malignant cancer that has been completely resected
• No history of allergic reaction to any component of the drugs in this study

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 1 month since prior investigational drugs or medical devices
• No prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy for this tumor
• No concurrent liposomal paclitaxel
• No other concurrent antitumor therapy (e.g., radiotherapy or surgical treatment)
• No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy drugs or anticancer Chinese herbs