Combination Chemotherapy Plus Radiation Therapy With or Without AE-941 in Treating Patients With Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

You may be eligible if

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed newly diagnosed, untreated, unresectable stage IIIA or stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer
• * Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or large cell carcinoma of the lung
• * Mixed tumors allowed if non-small cell elements identified
• * Contralateral supraclavicular and/or scalene lymph node involvement allowed
• * No disease extending into the cervical region
• At least 1 bidimensionally or unidimensionally measurable lesion
• No pleural effusion unless cytologically negative or too small to safely aspirate
• Not scheduled for curative cancer surgery
• Performance status - ECOG 0-1
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than 1,500/mm\^3
• Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm\^3
• Hematocrit greater than 30%
• SGOT or SGPT less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal
• Bilirubin normal
• Creatinine less than 1.5 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min
• No other major medical or psychiatric illness that would preclude study participation or consent
• No medical condition that interferes with oral medication intake and/or absorption (gastrectomy or major intestinal resection)
• No grade 2 or greater peripheral neuropathy unless secondary to mechanical etiology
• No hypersensitivity to fish products
• No more than 10% weight loss within past 3 months
• No other malignancy within past 3 years except inactive carcinoma in situ of the cervix or nonmelanoma skin cancer
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• At least 30 days since prior chemotherapy
• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior major surgery
• At least 30 days since prior shark cartilage products
• No other concurrent investigational anticancer agents
• No other concurrent cartilage products
• No other concurrent investigational agents
• No concurrent amifostine or other radioprotectants
• No concurrent enrollment in other clinical trials