Combination Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery in Treating Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically proven stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)(including squamous, adenocarcinoma, large cell, and poorly differentiated NSCLC) Nodal metastases of T1-3 N2 M0 No distant metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age: 18 to 75 Performance Status: WHO 0-2 Life Expectancy: Not specified Hematopoietic: Leucocytes greater than 4,000/mm3 Platelet count greater than 100,000/mm3 Hepatic: Bilirubin within normal limits AST or ALT no greater than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) Alkaline phosphatase no greater than 2.5 times ULN Renal: Creatinine clearance greater than 60 mL/min No hypercalcemia Cardiovascular: No unstable cardiac disease No congestive heart failure No angina pectoris No significant arrhythmias No prior history of myocardial infarction within 3 months Pulmonary: Lung function test with a forced expiratory volume greater than 1.2 L/sec Neurologic: No dementia No peripheral neuropathy greater than grade 1 No psychosis No seizure disorders Other: No prior or concurrent malignancies, except: Nonmelanoma skin cancer Carcinoma in situ of the cervix No active uncontrolled infection or other serious medical conditions No diabetes mellitus treated with insulin No gastric ulcers PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy: No prior biologic therapy Chemotherapy: No prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy: No prior corticosteroids or other endocrine therapy No concurrent treatment with prednisone (except for prophylaxis, treatment of acu…