OUTLINE: This is a nonrandomized study. The choice of chemotherapeutic regimen is at the discretion of the medical oncologist. If the tumor is resectable after treatment with chemotherapy, the patients undergoes the appropriate resection as defined by the thoracic surgeon. All patients have positron emission tomography (PET) scans done within 2 weeks before the first dose of chemotherapy and again about 2-3 weeks after the third or fourth dose of chemotherapy. Patients are asked to not eat or drink 6 hours before coming into the hospital for the PET scan. They are administered an injection of a solution of fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 (FDG) and then undergo a PET scan.