DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

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

  • Stage IIIB disease

    • Patients without pleural effusion who are not candidates for combined modality treatment OR who were treated at centers where combined modality treatment is not considered standard treatment are eligible
  • Stage IV disease

• Measurable disease (phase II)

  • Measurable disease, defined as ≥ 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion ≥ 20 mm by x-ray, ultrasound, physical exam, or conventional CT scan OR ≥ 10 mm by spiral CT scan
  • Measurable lesions must be outside a previous radiotherapy field if they are the sole site of disease, unless disease progression has been documented
  • No significant central thoracic lesion with any appreciable cavitation
• Measurable or nonmeasurable disease (phase III)
• No necrotic or hemorrhagic tumor or metastases

• No untreated brain or meningeal metastases

  • CT scans are not required to rule out disease unless there is clinical suspicion of CNS disease
  • Patients with previously treated stable brain metastases (by radiography or clinical exam) are eligible provided they are asymptomatic and do not require corticosteroids

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Performance status

• ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

• Not specified

Hematopoietic

• Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3
• No overt bleeding (i.e., ≥ 30 mL/episode) within the past 3 months

Hepatic

• Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT ≤ 2 times ULN (< 5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)

Renal

• Creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• Proteinuria ≤ grade 1

Cardiovascular

• Mean QTc ≤ 470 msec (with Bazett's correction) by ECG
• No unstable angina
• No congestive heart failure
• No myocardial infarction within the past year
• No cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring medication
• No history of 2nd- or 3rd-degree atrioventricular conduction defects
• No untreated or uncontrolled cardiovascular condition
• No symptomatic cardiac dysfunction
• No uncontrolled hypertension (i.e., resting blood pressure ≥ 150/100 mm Hg despite antihypertensive therapy)
• No history of labile hypertension
• No history of poor compliance with antihypertensive medication
• No history of familial long-QT syndrome

Pulmonary

• No clinically relevant hemoptysis (i.e., ≥ 5 mL fresh blood) within the past 4 weeks

  • Flecks of blood only in sputum allowed

Other

• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective (double method for females; barrier method for males) contraception
• Able and willing to participate in the quality of life assessment
• No peripheral neuropathy > grade 1
• No prior allergic reaction to drugs containing Cremophor EL®
• No active or uncontrolled infection
• No serious illness or medical condition which would preclude study compliance
• No inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis)
• No other malignancy within the past 5 years except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or in situ cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy

• At least 14 days since prior epidermal growth factor receptor-inhibitor therapy (e.g., tyrosine kinase inhibitor, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, or other agents)

• No prior antiangiogenesis therapy, including any of the following:

  • Bevacizumab
  • AZD2171
  • AZD6474
  • PTK787/ZK222584 (PTK/ZK)
  • Sunitinib malate
• Concurrent epoetin alfa allowed

Chemotherapy

• At least 12 months since prior adjuvant chemotherapy

  • Combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimens for locally advanced stage IIIB disease is not considered adjuvant therapy and is not allowed
• No prior chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent NSCLC

Endocrine therapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 1 week since prior steroids

Radiotherapy

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 21 days since prior radiotherapy except for low-dose non-myelosuppressive radiotherapy with approval
• Concurrent palliative radiotherapy allowed with approval

Surgery

• At least 14 days since prior major surgery

Other

• Recovered from prior therapy
• Prior treatment with cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors allowed
• Concurrent prophylactic anticoagulation (e.g., warfarin) allowed provided requirements for INR are met

• No potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 and 2C8, including any of the following drugs:

  • Amiodarone hydrochloride
  • Clarithromycin
  • Citalopram hydrobromide
  • Erythromycin
  • Omeprazole
  • Simvastatin
  • Atorvastatin
  • Lovastatin
  • Montelukast sodium
  • Verapamil hydrochloride
  • Ketoconazole
  • Miconazole
  • Indinovir and other antivrails
  • Diltiazem
• No other concurrent experimental drug or anticancer therapy