DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Biopsy-proven* bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) or BAC variants (e.g., adenocarcinoma with BAC features, BAC with invasive adenocarcinoma) meeting the following criteria:

  • Incompletely resected or unresectable disease
  • No component of squamous cell carcinoma

  • Disease staged as 1 of the following:

    • Stage IIIB disease (T4 [cytologically confirmed malignant pleural effusion OR pleural tumor foci that are separate from direct pleural invasion by the primary tumor], any N, M0)

    • Stage IV disease (any T, any N, M1 [distant metastases present])

      • Recurrent disease in a separate lobe after prior resection within the past 5 years; multifocal lesions in > 1 lobe; or any disease that is recurrent after surgery or radiotherapy is considered stage IV disease
  • Tumor may be multifocal or diffuse NOTE: *Cytology specimens, including bronchial brushing, washings, or fine needle aspiration specimens, alone are not acceptable for diagnosis

• Measurable or nonmeasurable disease by chest CT scan

  • Pleural effusions, ascites, and laboratory parameters are not acceptable as only evidence of disease
  • Disease must be present outside field of prior radiotherapy OR a new lesion must be inside port
• Treated brain metastases allowed provided the patient is asymptomatic and do not require steroids

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Zubrod performance status 0-2
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• Total bilirubin normal
• AST or AST ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) (5 times ULN if liver metastases are present)
• Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN (5 times ULN if bone metastases are present)
• Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min
• Urine protein:creatinine ratio ≤ 0.5 OR urine protein < 1 g by 24-hour urine collection
• Willing to provide prior smoking history
• No hemoptysis ≥ ½ teaspoon within the past 28 days
• No clinical history of pulmonary or upper respiratory hemorrhage > grade 2 within the past 6 months or > grade 1 within the past 28 days
• No history of thromboses or hemorrhage, including hemorrhagic or thrombotic stroke, or other CNS bleeding
• No uncontrolled hypertension
• No serious nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture

• No other prior malignancy except for any of the following:

  • Adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer
  • In situ cervical cancer
  • Adequately treated stage I or II cancer that is currently in complete remission
  • Any other cancer from which the patient has been disease free for 5 years
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• Recovered from prior therapy
• At least 28 days since prior radiotherapy (14 days for palliative radiotherapy)
• At least 28 days since prior surgery (thoracic or other major surgeries)
• More than 7 days since prior fine-needle aspiration or core biopsy
• At least 28 days since prior systemic chemotherapy or biologic therapy
• No prior gefitinib hydrochloride, erlotinib hydrochloride, or bevacizumab
• No other prior anti-epidermal growth factor receptor or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies
• Concurrent stable, therapeutic anticoagulation therapy allowed (i.e., warfarin or low molecular weight heparin), provided the patient has no history of bleeding complications on anticoagulation or an inability to establish a stable therapeutic regimen for anticoagulation
• No other concurrent anticancer therapy, including surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, biologic therapy, or radiotherapy