OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the safety and toxicity of cetuximab when administered in combination with gemcitabine and carboplatin in patients with chemotherapy-naive stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. II. Determine the response rate and time to progression in patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive cetuximab IV over 60-120 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15, and gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 followed by carboplatin IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Courses repeat every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who experience unacceptable toxicity to gemcitabine or carboplatin may continue to receive cetuximab alone. Patients are followed at 4 weeks and then every 3 months thereafter.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 30 patients will be accrued for this study within 5-7 months.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer that is not amenable to potentially curative surgery Stage IV Epidermal growth factor receptor expression (1+ or more) by immunohistochemistry Measurable disease Chemotherapy-naive Histologically confirmed recurrent disease allowed after radiotherapy Meningeal or CNS involvement allowed

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 and over Performance status: Karnofsky 80-100% Life expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm3 WBC at least 3,000/mm3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm3 Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL Hepatic: Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN Renal: Creatinine no greater than 1.5 mg/dL OR Creatinine clearance at least 60 mL/min Cardiovascular: No uncontrolled angina No arrhythmias No congestive heart failure Neurologic: No uncontrolled seizure disorder No active neurological disease No neuropathy of grade 2 or greater Other: Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No other malignancy within the past 3 years except basal cell skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior cetuximab Chemotherapy: See Disease Characteristics No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: Not specified Radiotherapy: See Disease Characteristics At least 4 weeks since prior wide-field radiotherapy (local radiotherapy for management of tumor-related symptoms allowed) No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery: See Disease Characteristics At least 30 days since prior major thoracic or abdominal surgery and recovered Other: At least 30 days since prior investigational agents At least 4 weeks since any prior therapy and recovered