Manuka Honey in Preventing Esophagitis-Related Pain in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy For Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Patients being treated with combination chemotherapy (definitive or adjuvant) and radiation therapy once daily for small cell or non-small cell lung cancer (primary population for the trial) * Patients can receive chemoradiotherapy while on a Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) lung trial or while not being on a clinical trial * No patients receiving chemoradiotherapy while enrolled on a single institution trial or trials coordinated by other cooperative groups * No patients with metastatic disease * At least 5 cm of the esophagus must be in the 60 Gy isodose volume in 1.6 to 2.0 Gy fractions PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Age 18 and up * Able to swallow thick liquids prior to treatment * Able to speak English or Spanish in order to complete required forms (verbal completion is adequate) * No patients with poorly controlled diabetes * No known hypersensitivity to honey PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics * No patients who have received prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy * No patients receiving more than once daily treatments * Therapeutic use of honey other than the Manuka honey provided for this trial is not allowed while patients are on study * Patients must also avoid honey-flavored medical products and/or sugary, viscous substances * Amifostine is not permitted