Gemcitabine and Docetaxel in Treating Patients With Inoperable Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer of 1 of the following histologic subtypes:
• * Epidermoid carcinoma
• * Large cell carcinoma
• * Adenocarcinoma
• Stage IIIB (T4, any N, M0 OR any T, N3, M0) OR Stage IV disease
• Inoperable disease
• Measurable disease
• * At least 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion at least 20 mm by conventional techniques OR at least 10 mm by spiral CT scan
• No symptomatic brain metastases
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• Age
• 18 to 75
• Performance status
• ECOG 0-2
• Life expectancy
• Not specified
• Hematopoietic
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm\^3
• Absolute neutrophil count at least 2,000/mm\^3
• Hemoglobin at least 10 g/dL
• Hepatic
• Bilirubin no greater than normal
• Transaminases no greater than 1.5 times normal
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times normal
• Renal
• Creatinine no greater than 2.3 mg/dL
• Cardiovascular
• No uncontrolled cardiac insufficiency
• Other
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after study therapy
• No uncontrolled infection
• No other prior malignancy except curatively treated basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
• No grade 3 or 4 brain disorder
• No intolerance to polysorbate 80 or cortisones
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• Biologic therapy
• Not specified
• Chemotherapy
• No prior chemotherapy, including taxanes or gemcitabine
• No other concurrent chemotherapy
• Endocrine therapy
• Not specified
• Radiotherapy
• No prior radiotherapy to more than 20% of the bone marrow
• No prior radiotherapy for lung cancer
• At least 4 weeks since other prior radiotherapy and recovered
• Surgery
• No prior surgery for lung cancer
• Other
• More than 30 days since prior clinical trial participation