OUTLINE: Patients receive IV cisplatin over 30 minutes followed by IV irinotecan over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, 15, and 22. Treatment repeats every 6 weeks for 3 courses until disease progression. Once potential candidates for resectability are determined, patients undergo thoracotomy or concurrent chemotherapy/radiation therapy within 6 weeks of completing the last course of chemotherapy. Following resection, patients responding to chemotherapy receive 3 additional courses of IV carboplatin and paclitaxel over 3 hours. Patients may undergo local irradiation beginning with the second course of carboplatin and paclitaxel. Chemotherapy ceases if disease remains stable after 8 weeks.