Gefitinib in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess the one-years survival rate in both previously-untreated and previously-treated patients with advanced bronchioalveolar carcinoma receiving chronic oral ZD1839. II. To assess the progression-free survival and overall survival in these groups of patients. III. To evaluate the frequency and severity of toxicities associated with this treatment regimen. IV. To evaluate the response rate using both the standard RECIST criteria and by computer-assisted image analysis in patients with measurable disease. V. To measure EGFR and EGFR variant III overexpression in tumor tissue samples and explore their relationship with aforementioned clinical outcomes. VI. To measure EGFR expression and activation status in slides of buccal brushings submitted on S9925 before and after initiation of treatment with ZD1839 and explore their association with response and survival. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to prior systemic treatment for bronchioalveolar carcinoma (yes vs no). (The previously untreated stratum closed to accrual as of 2/15/2003.) Patients receive oral gefitinib once daily. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients are followed every 6 months for 2 years and then annually thereafter.