DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Diagnosis of non-small lung cancer (NSCLC)

  • Stage IIIB (malignant pleural/pericardial effusion) or IV
  • Relapsed or refractory disease
• Measurable disease that has not been irradiated
• Previously treated with 1, and only 1, cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic setting
• No untreated or symptomatic brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

• 18 and over

Performance status:

• ECOG 0-2

Life expectancy:

• At least 12 weeks

Hematopoietic:

• Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3 (without growth factor support)
• Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3
• No bleeding or coagulation disorder

Hepatic:

• Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• ALT and AST no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• Albumin at least 3.0 g/dL
• PT no greater than 1.5 times ULN OR INR no greater than 1.3
• PTT no greater than 1.5 times ULN
• No chronic hepatitis
• No chronic cirrhosis

Renal:

• Creatinine no greater than 1.5 times ULN

Cardiovascular:

• No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
• No uncontrolled congestive heart failure

Pulmonary:

• No severe pulmonary disease
• No requirement for oxygen due to pneumonectomy
• No severe pleural effusion secondary to NSCLC

Immunologic:

• HIV negative
• No active infection
• No active autoimmune disease

Other:

• No other concurrent active cancer
• No uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• No uncontrolled seizure disorder
• No peripheral neuropathy grade 2 or greater
• No active peptic ulcer disease
• No other significant medical disease
• No intellectual, emotional, or physical disability that would preclude study participation
• No neurologic disorders, overt psychosis, mental disability, or evidence of a limited capacity to give informed consent or to comply with study treatment
• No known hypersensitivity to phosphorothioate-containing oligonucleotides
• No history of hypersensitivity to drugs containing the excipient Tween 80 (polysorbate 80)
• Satisfactory venous access for multi-day continuous infusion
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

• At least 3 weeks since prior cytokines or vaccine therapy for NSCLC
• At least 3 weeks since prior immunotherapy or biologic therapy for NSCLC
• No concurrent anticancer biologic therapy

Chemotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy for NSCLC
• No prior docetaxel
• No other concurrent anticancer chemotherapy

Endocrine therapy:

• No concurrent corticosteroids* except for the following conditions:

  • CNS disease
  • Underlying lung disease NOTE: *Dose must be stable or decreasing for at least 4 weeks before study participation

Radiotherapy:

• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 3 weeks since prior radiotherapy for NSCLC
• No prior radiotherapy to 25% or more of bone marrow (e.g., whole pelvis)
• No concurrent anticancer radiotherapy

Surgery:

• At least 3 weeks since prior surgery for NSCLC
• No prior organ allograft

Other:

• Recovered from prior therapy
• Prior first-line epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) administered with cytotoxic therapy are allowed
• At least 3 weeks since prior investigational drugs
• At least 3 weeks since other prior therapy NSCLC
• No prior anticancer therapy subsequent to the first (and only) prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen
• No prior second-line EGFR therapy
• No prior oblimersen (G3139)
• No other concurrent investigational or anticancer therapies
• No concurrent anticoagulation therapy except for warfarin (1 mg/day) for central line prophylaxis