Vorinostat, Paclitaxel, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients Unable to Tolerate Cisplatin With Stage III Non-Small Lung Cancer That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of vorinostat when given together with paclitaxel and radiation therapy and to see how well it works in treating patients unable to tolerate cisplatin with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that cannot be removed by surgery. Vorinostat may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving vorinostat together with paclitaxel and radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells