Erlotinib Hydrochloride in Treating Patients With Stage IB-IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer That Has Been Completely Removed by Surgery (An ALCHEMIST Treatment Trial)

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To assess whether adjuvant therapy with erlotinib hydrochloride (erlotinib) will result in improved overall survival (OS) over observation for patients with completely resected stage IB (\>= 4 cm)-IIIA epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (confirmed centrally) following complete resection and standard post-operative therapy. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess whether adjuvant therapy with erlotinib will result in improved disease free survival (DFS) over observation for patients with completely resected stage IB (\>= 4 cm)-IIIA EGFR mutant NSCLC (confirmed centrally) following complete resection and standard post-operative therapy, both overall and within the stage subgroups: IB and II/IIIA. II. To evaluate the safety profile of erlotinib in the adjuvant setting. III. To assess whether adjuvant therapy with erlotinib will result in improved DFS rate at 2 years, and OS rate at 5 and 10 years over observation for patients with completely resected stage IB (\>= 4 cm)-IIIA EGFR mutant NSCLC (confirmed centrally) following complete resection and standard post-operative therapy, both overall and within the stage subgroups: IB and II/IIIA. IV. To assess the primary and secondary objectives in all randomized patients, regardless of central confirmation of the EGFR mutant status. V. To study detection of circulating EGFR mutations in cell-free plasma deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as a prognostic marker in resected early stage NSCLC. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 4 treatment arms. ARM A (BLINDED ERLOTINIB- CLOSED 06/14/17): Blinded patients receive erlotinib hydrochloride orally (PO) once daily (QD) on days 1-21. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 2 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM B (PLACEBO- CLOSED 06/14/17): Patients receive placebo PO QD on days 1-21. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 2 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM C (UNBLINDED ERLOTINIB): Unblinded patients receive erlotinib hydrochloride PO QD on days 1-21. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 2 years in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. ARM D (OBSERVATION): Patients (including patients previously randomized to placebo) undergo observation at least every 6 months for 2 years. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 6 months for 4 years and then yearly for 6 years.