Selenium in Preventing Tumor Growth in Patients With Previously Resected Stage I Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

RATIONALE: Chemoprevention therapy is the use of certain drugs to try to prevent the development or recurrence of cancer. It is not yet known if selenium is effective in preventing the growth of new tumors in patients with previously resected non-small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying selenium to see how well it works compared to a placebo in preventing the development of second primary lung tumors in patients who have undergone surgery to remove stage I non-small cell lung cancer.