Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Lung Cancer

Inclusion criteria

Criteria: * Histologically confirmed bronchoalveolar carcinoma (BAC) or adenocarcinoma of the lung with BAC features: * Stage IIIB or IV disease: * Patients with stage IIIB disease must be ineligible for definitive combined modality treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy * Measurable disease, defined as \>= 1 unidimensionally measurable lesion \>= 20 mm by conventional techniques or \>= 10 mm by spiral CT scan: * Previously irradiated lesions are considered measurable only if lesion progressed after completion of radiotherapy * No unstable brain metastases: * Brain metastases that are stable for ≥ 1 month after completion of prior radiotherapy, stereotactic surgery, or surgery are allowed * Performance status: * ECOG 0-2 * Life expectancy \>3 months * Hepatic: * Bilirubin normal * AST and ALT =\< 2.5 times upper limit of normal * Renal: * Creatinine normal OR creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min * Cardiovascular: * No symptomatic congestive heart failure * No unstable angina pectoris * No cardiac arrhythmias * No more than 1 prior chemotherapy regimen for advanced BAC: * Prior gefitinib or other known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors are not considered a systemic chemotherapy regimen * At least 3 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin) * At least 4 weeks since prior corticosteroids * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception before, during, and for 30 days after completion of study treatment * No ongoing or active infection * No other malignancy within the past 3 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or adequately treated stage I or II cancer that is in complete remission * No peripheral neuropathy \>= grade 2 * No known hypersensitivity to bortezomib, boron, or mannitol * No psychiatric illness or social situation that would preclude study compliance * No other uncontrolled illness * No concurrent routine granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (e.g., filgrastim \[G-CSF\] or sargramostim \[GM-CSF\]) * At least 2 weeks since prior radiotherapy * Recovered from prior therapy (alopecia allowed) * At least 2 weeks since prior EGFR inhibitors * At least 4 weeks since prior anticonvulsants * No prior bortezomib * No concurrent antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent investigational agents * No other concurrent anticancer therapy * Concurrent bisphosphonates for bone metastases allowed * Hematopoietic: * Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mm3 * Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm3