DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) meeting 1 of the following stage criteria:

  • Selected stage IIIB disease (excluding Pancoast tumors)

    • T4 lesion due to malignant pleural effusion only
    • Any N
    • M0

  • Stage IV disease

    • Any T
    • Any N
    • M1
  • Recurrent disease after prior surgery and/or radiotherapy

• The following histologies are eligible:

  • Adenocarcinoma
  • Large cell carcinoma
  • Squamous cell carcinoma
  • Unspecified

• Measurable disease by CT scan, MRI, x-ray, or physical or nuclear exam

  • Measurable disease must be outside prior irradiated fields OR a new lesion must be present
  • Measurable disease must be outside the area of prior surgical resection

• No brain metastases

  • Negative CT scan or MRI if there are neurological abnormalities on physical exam or symptoms
• Patients must be offered participation in protocol SWOG-S9925 (Lung Cancer Specimen Repository study)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• Zubrod 2

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN) AND 1 of the following:

  • Alkaline phosphatase ≤ ULN AND SGOT OR SGPT ≤ 2 times ULN
  • Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 4 times ULN AND SGOT OR SGPT ≤ ULN

Renal

• Creatinine ≤ 2 mg/dL

Cardiovascular

• No significant history of cardiac disease
• No uncontrolled high blood pressure
• No unstable angina
• No congestive heart failure
• No cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring medication
• No myocardial infarction within the past 6 months

Gastrointestinal

• No GI tract disease resulting in an inability to take oral medication
• No malabsorption syndrome
• No uncontrolled inflammatory GI disease (e.g., Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
• No requirement for IV alimentation

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer in complete remission

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• No prior biologic therapy for NSCLC
• No concurrent biologic therapy

Chemotherapy

• No prior systemic chemotherapy for NSCLC

Endocrine therapy

• No prior hormonal therapy for NSCLC
• No concurrent hormonal therapy

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered

• No concurrent radiotherapy to measurable or non-measurable lesions

  • Concurrent palliative radiotherapy to small-field non-measurable sites of painful bony metastases allowed provided there are other sites of measurable disease outside of the radiotherapy treatment field

Surgery

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior thoracic or other major surgeries and recovered
• No prior surgical procedures affecting gastrointestinal (GI) absorption

Other

• No prior epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors