DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma

  • Unresectable stage IIIB disease, including patients with pleural effusion

    • Patients with stage IIIB who are candidates for combined chemotherapy and chest irradiation are not eligible
  • Stage IV disease
  • No mixed tumors with small cell carcinoma or aplastic carcinoma

• Measurable disease

  • At least one measurable lesion outside a previously irradiated area and detectable by radiologic studies
• No bone metastases
• No brain metastases unless treated and stable for at least 8 weeks

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age

• 18 and over

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

• At least 3 months

Hematopoietic

• WBC ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ upper limit of normal (ULN)

• Alkaline phosphatase and AST/ALT must meet criteria for one of the following:

  • AST or ALT ≤ 5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ ULN
  • AST or ALT ≤1.5 times ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
  • AST or ALT ≤ ULN AND alkaline phosphatase ≤ 5 times ULN
• No hepatic disease that would preclude prolonged follow-up

Renal

• Creatinine clearance > 60 mL/min
• Calcium ≥ 8.0 mg/dL (corrected)
• No renal disease that would preclude prolonged follow-up

Cardiovascular

• No cardiovascular disease that would preclude prolonged follow-up

Pulmonary

• No pulmonary disease that would preclude prolonged follow-up

Other

• No weight loss > 5% within the past 6 months
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except treated melanoma, ductal carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other cancer cured by resection alone
• No known hypersensitivity to zoledronate, other bisphosphonates, platinum-containing compounds, mannitol, or polysorbate 80
• No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
• No uncontrolled infections
• No uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus

• No disease with influence on bone metabolism, including any of the following:

  • Paget's disease
  • Uncontrolled thyroid dysfunction
  • Uncontrolled parathyroid dysfunction
• No neurologic/psychiatric disease that would preclude prolonged follow-up
• No other medical condition that would preclude study participation

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• Not specified

Chemotherapy

• No prior first-line chemotherapy

  • Prior adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment (including paclitaxel) for NSCLC is allowed

Endocrine therapy

• Not specified

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy and recovered
• No prior radiotherapy covering > 30% of marrow-bearing areas
• No concurrent radiotherapy

Surgery

• More than 3 weeks since prior thoracotomy and recovered

Other

• More than 30 days since prior systemic investigational drugs or devices
• More than 1 year since prior bisphosphonates
• No other concurrent bisphosphonates
• No other concurrent osteoclastic bone resorption inhibitors (e.g., calcitonin, mithramycin, or gallium nitrate)
• No other concurrent investigational drugs or devices
• No other concurrent antineoplastic agents during the treatment phase of study