RATIONALE: Studying samples of tumor tissue and blood in the laboratory from patients with cancer may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in genetic material (DNA and RNA) and may also identify protein expression patterns related to cancer. It may also help doctors predict how patients will respond to treatment.

PURPOSE: This research study evaluates changes in DNA, RNA, and proteins with the goal of predicting response to treatment in patients with lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES:

• To determine protein and/or RNA expression patterns capable of predicting tumor response to therapy in tumor tissue samples from patients with lung cancer or suspected of having lung cancer.
• To characterize the genes and proteins found to be predictive of response in order to help elucidate the molecular biology underlying cancer chemosensitivity.
• To evaluate DNA mutations found within the lung cancer sample which may be predictive of response or resistance to certain therapeutic agents.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo collection of tumor tissue by percutaneous fine needle aspiration, core biopsy, thoracentesis, or during any medically indicated procedure involving removal of lung cancer tissue. Tissue samples are analyzed by a variety of techniques, including DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing and expression levels, protein assessment [by immunohistochemistry, western blot, Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS]). The goal of these studies is to identify of gene mutations, gene expression levels, and proteins predictive of treatment response. Blood samples are also collected to obtain normal DNA for analysis.

After completion of study, patients will be followed until their death.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of suspected lung cancer or lung cancer

Exclusion criteria

• Inability to undergo therapy

People who have or may have lung cancer.