OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the complete response rate to 2 courses of paclitaxel and topotecan followed by consolidation chemoradiotherapy in patients with limited stage small cell lung cancer. II. Determine the toxic effects of this regimen in this patient population. III. Describe the pattern of relapse, documenting carefully the location of relapse with respect to the original disease volume and the radiation treatment field in these patients. IV. Determine the overall and failure free survival of these patients.