Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy With or Without Panitumumab in Treating Patients With Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed\* non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including any of the following histologies: * Adenocarcinoma * Adenosquamous * Large cell carcinoma * Squamous cell carcinoma * Non-lobar and non-diffuse bronchoalveolar cell carcinoma * NSCLC not otherwise specified NOTE: \*Documentation of NSCLC may originate from the mediastinal node biopsy or aspiration * Stage IIIA (T1-T3) disease with a single primary lung parenchymal lesion AND positive ipsilateral mediastinal node or nodes (N2) with or without positive ipsilateral hilar nodes (N1) * N2 nodes must be separate from primary tumor by either CT scan or surgical exploration * Maximum nodal diameter of involved N2 nodes cannot exceed 3.0 cm * N2 status must be pathologically confirmed to be positive by one of the following methods\*: * Mediastinoscopy * Mediastinotomy (Chamberlain procedure) * Transesophageal needle biopsy using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS-TBNA) * Endobronchial ultrasound biopsy using endoscopic ultrasound guidance (EBUS-TBNA) * Thoracotomy * Video-assisted thoracoscopy * Transbronchial needle biopsy by Wang technique (TBNA) * Fine-needle aspiration under CT guidance NOTE: \*PET positivity in the ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes is not sufficient to establish N2 nodal status * Ipsilateral mediastinal nodes associated with right-sided tumor must be biopsied unless all of the following are true: * Tumor is left sided * Paralyzed left true vocal cord documented by bronchoscopy or indirect laryngoscopy * Nodes visible in the anterior/posterior (level 5) region on CT scan * Distinct primary tumor separate from nodes visible on CT scan * Histologic (biopsy) or cytologic (needle aspiration or sputum) proof of non-small cell histology from the primary tumor * If lymph nodes in the contralateral mediastinum and neck are visible on contrast CT scan of the chest and are \> 1.0 cm in short axis or if contralateral involvement is suggested by PET scan, then the nodes must be confirmed to be negative * Measurable disease as determined by contrast-enhanced CT scan * Primary lung tumor distinct from mediastinal lymph nodes * If a pleural effusion is present, the following criteria must be met to exclude malignant involvement (incurable M1a disease): * When pleural fluid is visible on both the CT scan and on a chest x-ray, a pleuracentesis is required to confirm that the pleural fluid is cytologically negative. * Exudative pleural effusions are excluded, regardless of cytology; * Effusions that are minimal (i.e. not visible under ultrasound guidance) that are too small to safely tap are eligible. * No palpable lymph nodes in the supraclavicular areas or higher in the neck, unless proven to be benign by fine-needle aspiration or biopsy * No distant metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Zubrod performance status 0-1 * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Hemoglobin ≥ 10.0 g/dL (transfusion allowed) * Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Serum albumin \> 3.0 g/dL * Serum magnesium normal (supplementation allowed) * Not pregnant * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 6 months after completion of treatment * Forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1) ≥ 2.0 L OR predicted post-resection FEV1 ≥ 0.8 L * Diffusion capacity ≥ 50% predicted * No other invasive malignancy within the past 3 years, except nonmelanoma skin cancer or carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix * No severe, active co-morbidity, including any of the following: * Current uncontrolled cardiac disease (e.g., uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina, myocardial infarction within the past 6 months, uncontrolled congestive heart failure, or cardiomyopathy with decreased ejection fraction (\<50%) * Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring IV antibiotics * Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or that would preclude study therapy within the past 4 weeks * Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects * AIDS or known HIV positivity * No unintentional weight loss ≥ 5% of body weight within the past 6 months * No prior severe infusion reaction to a monoclonal antibody * No pre-existing peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior systemic chemotherapy or biological therapy (including erlotinib hydrochloride or similar agents) for the study cancer * Prior chemotherapy for a different cancer allowed * No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiotherapy fields * No prior therapy that specifically and directly targets the EGFR pathway