RATIONALE: Specialized radiation therapy that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue.

PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of specialized radiation therapy in treating patients with stage II, stage III, stage IV, or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer and poor performance status.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• To escalate the dose of accelerated hypofractionated image-guided conformal radiotherapy to a potent tumoricidal dose without exceeding the maximum-tolerated dose in patients with recurrent or stage II-IV non-small cell lung cancer and poor performance status.

Secondary

• To evaluate local regional tumor control and overall survival of patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: Patients undergo accelerated hypofractionated image-guided conformal radiotherapy once daily, 5 days a week, for 3 weeks (15 fractions). Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study therapy, patients are followed up periodically for up to 5 years.

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer

  • Stage II-IV and/or recurrent disease
  • No small cell histology

• Measurable or evaluable disease

  • Tumor not amenable to surgical resection
  • Tumor not eligible for stereotactic body radiation therapy

• No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Zubrod performance status 2-4
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must agree to use effective contraception
• Must complete all required pretreatment evaluations

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• More than 1 week since prior chemotherapy or chemoradiation therapy
• No concurrent chemotherapy
• No other concurrent antineoplastic therapy (including standard-fractionated radiotherapy to the chest, chemotherapy, biological therapy, vaccine therapy, and surgery) 1 week before, during, and for 1 week after completion of study therapy