Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy With or Without Panitumumab in Treating Patients With Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

   - Histologically confirmed* non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including any of the
   following histologies:

      - Adenocarcinoma

      - Adenosquamous

      - Large cell carcinoma

      - Squamous cell carcinoma

      - Non-lobar and non-diffuse bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma

      - NSCLC not otherwise specified NOTE: *Documentation of NSCLC may originate from
      the mediastinal node biopsy or aspiration

   - Stage IIIA (T1-T3) disease with a single primary lung parenchymal lesion AND positive
   ipsilateral mediastinal node or nodes (N2) with or without positive ipsilateral hilar
   nodes (N1)

      - N2 nodes must be separate from primary tumor by either CT scan or surgical
      exploration

      - Maximum nodal diameter of involved N2 nodes cannot exceed 3.0 cm

      - N2 status must be pathologically confirmed to be positive by one of the following
      methods*:

         - Mediastinoscopy

         - Mediastinotomy (Chamberlain procedure)

         - Transesophageal needle biopsy using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS-TBNA)

         - Endobronchial ultrasound biopsy using endoscopic ultrasound guidance
         (EBUS-TBNA)

         - Thoracotomy

         - Video-assisted thoracoscopy

         - Transbronchial needle biopsy by Wang technique (TBNA)

         - Fine-needle aspiration under CT guidance NOTE: *PET positivity in the
         ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes is not sufficient to establish N2 nodal
         status

      - Ipsilateral mediastinal nodes associated with right-sided tumor must be biopsied
      unless all of the following are true:

         - Tumor is left sided

         - Paralyzed left true vocal cord documented by bronchoscopy or indirect
         laryngoscopy

         - Nodes visible in the anterior/posterior (level 5) region on CT scan

         - Distinct primary tumor separate from nodes visible on CT scan

         - Histologic (biopsy) or cytologic (needle aspiration or sputum) proof of
         non-small cell histology from the primary tumor

      - If lymph nodes in the contralateral mediastinum and neck are visible on contrast
      CT scan of the chest and are > 1.0 cm in short axis or if contralateral
      involvement is suggested by PET scan, then the nodes must be confirmed to be
      negative

   - Measurable disease as determined by contrast-enhanced CT scan

      - Primary lung tumor distinct from mediastinal lymph nodes

   - If a pleural effusion is present, the following criteria must be met to exclude
   malignant involvement (incurable M1a disease):

      - When pleural fluid is visible on both the CT scan and on a chest x-ray, a
      pleuracentesis is required to confirm that the pleural fluid is cytologically
      negative.

      - Exudative pleural effusions are excluded, regardless of cytology;

      - Effusions that are minimal (i.e. not visible under ultrasound guidance) that are
      too small to safely tap are eligible.

   - No palpable lymph nodes in the supraclavicular areas or higher in the neck, unless
   proven to be benign by fine-needle aspiration or biopsy

   - No distant metastases

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

   - Zubrod performance status 0-1

   - Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm³

   - Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³

   - Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed)

   - Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

   - Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

   - Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 times ULN

   - Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN

   - Serum albumin > 3.0 g/dL

   - Serum magnesium normal (supplementation allowed)

   - Not pregnant

   - Negative pregnancy test

   - Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after
   completion of treatment

   - Forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) ≥ 2.0 L OR predicted post-resection FEV1
   ≥ 0.8 L

   - Diffusion capacity ≥ 50% predicted

   - No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years, except nonmelanoma skin cancer
   or carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix

   - No severe, active co-morbidity, including any of the following:

      - Current uncontrolled cardiac disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, unstable
      angina, myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, uncontrolled congestive
      heart failure, or cardiomyopathy with decreased ejection fraction (<50%)

      - Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring IV antibiotics

      - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness
      requiring hospitalization or that would preclude study therapy within the past 4
      weeks

      - Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects

      - AIDS or known HIV positivity

   - No unintentional weight loss ≥ 5% of body weight within the past 6 months

   - No prior severe infusion reaction to a monoclonal antibody

   - No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

   - No prior systemic chemotherapy or biological therapy (including erlotinib
   hydrochloride or similar agents) for the study cancer

      - Prior chemotherapy for a different cancer allowed

   - No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap
   of radiotherapy fields

   - No prior therapy that specifically and directly targets the EGFR pathway