OUTLINE: This is an open-label treatment and randomized supportive care study. Patients are stratified according to disease stage (II vs IIIA vs IIIB), Karnofsky performance status (90-100% vs 70-80%), and age (70 and under vs over 70). Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive paclitaxel IV over 3 hours on days 1 and 22 and over 1 hour weekly for 6 weeks beginning on day 43. Patients receive carboplatin IV over 30 minutes immediately after each paclitaxel dose. Patients receive filgrastim (G-CSF) subcutaneously for 10-14 days after each of the first two paclitaxel and carboplatin doses. Radiotherapy begins on day 43 and is administered twice daily for 5 days per week for 6 weeks. Beginning on day 43, patients receive amifostine IV over 5-7 minutes 4 days a week for 6 weeks. Arm II: Patients receive treatment as in arm I without amifostine. Quality of life is assessed at baseline, before chemoradiation (after 2 courses of induction chemotherapy), the last week of chemoradiation (week 6), and at the 6-week follow-up visit. Patients are followed at 1 month, every 3 months for 1 year, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually thereafter.