Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Gefitinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Giving paclitaxel and carboplatin together with gefitinib may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of giving paclitaxel and carboplatin together with gefitinib and to see how well it works in treating patients with Stage IIIB or stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.