Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Stage I-III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Following Surgery

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the safety/toxicity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin and docetaxel followed by maintenance therapy with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor erlotinib (erlotinib hydrochloride) in patients with stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing definitive treatment with surgery and/or radiation. II. To estimate the agreement in baseline to post-treatment changes of EGFR expression (i.e., EGFR modulation) between buccal smears and bronchial tissue. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the disease free survival of this therapeutic combination. II. To assess overall quality of life. III. To evaluate predictive biomarkers in early-stage NSCLC. OUTLINE: Patients receive docetaxel intravenously (IV) over 1 hour followed by cisplatin IV over 30-60 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 3 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Beginning within 90 days following definitive surgical resection, patients receive erlotinib hydrochloride orally (PO) daily for up to 1 year. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 1 year and then every 6 months for 4 years.