Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy With or Without Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Stage IIIA or Stage IIIB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Biological therapies such as gefitinib may interfere with the growth of the tumor cells and slow the growth of the tumor. Combining chemotherapy and radiation therapy with gefitinib before surgery may shrink the tumor so that it can be removed during surgery. PURPOSE: Phase I/II trial to compare the effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with or without gefitinib in treating patients who are undergoing surgery for stage III non-small cell lung cancer.