OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study of paclitaxel. Patients undergo standard thoracic radiotherapy 5 days a week for 7 weeks. Patients receive paclitaxel IV continuously beginning 48 hours before initiating radiotherapy and continuing until the last day of radiotherapy. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-5 patients receive escalating doses of paclitaxel until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 5 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Patients are followed monthly for 2 years.