Cetuximab, Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Unresectable Stage IIIA or Stage IIIB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of 1 of the following subtypes: * Squamous cell carcinoma * Adenocarcinoma (including bronchoalveolar cell) * Large cell anaplastic carcinoma (including giant and clear cell carcinomas) * Poorly differentiated/not otherwise specified NSCLC * Stage IIIA (T1-2, N2, M0 or T3, N1-2, M0) or IIIB (T4, any N, M0 or any T, N2-3, M0) * If the largest mediastinal node is \< 2.0 cm in diameter and this is the basis for stage III disease, then at least 1 of the nodes must be cytologically or histologically positive * Unresectable disease * No totally resected tumors * Tumors adjacent to a vertebral body allowed provided all gross disease can be encompassed in the radiation boost field and the boost volume is limited to \< 50% of the ipsilateral lung volume * Measurable disease * Transudate, cytologically negative, non-bloody pleural effusions allowed provided the tumor can be encompassed within a reasonable field of radiotherapy * Pleural effusions seen on a chest CT scan are allowed provided they are not visible on a chest x-ray and are too small to tap * No asymptomatic or symptomatic brain metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age * 18 and over Performance status * Zubrod 0-1 Life expectancy * Not specified Hematopoietic * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (transfusion independent) Hepatic * Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * SGOT (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase) or SGPT (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase) ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN Renal * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL Cardiovascular * No significant history of cardiac disease * No uncontrolled hypertension * No unstable angina * No uncompensated congestive heart failure * No myocardial infarction within the past year * No cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring medication * LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction) normal by MUGA (multi-gated acquisition) scan or echocardiogram Pulmonary * No history of interstitial pneumonitis * No history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring 3 or more hospitalizations within the past year * FEV\_1 ≥ 1,200 cc * No active pulmonary infection unresponsive to conventional antibiotics Other * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for 4 weeks after study therapy * Glucose ≤ 2 times ULN * No more than 5% weight loss within the past 3 months * No known allergy to murine proteins or Cremophor EL * No neuropathy grade 2 or greater * No other malignancy within the past 2 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or other in situ cancers PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy * No prior drugs that target the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway * No prior chimerized monoclonal antibody therapy * No other concurrent immunotherapy * No concurrent colony-stimulating factors (i.e., filgrastim \[G-CSF\] and sargramostim \[GM-CSF\]) * Concurrent epoetin alfa allowed Chemotherapy * No prior systemic chemotherapy * No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy * No concurrent hormonal therapy except hormones for non-disease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) or steroids for acute symptom management, adrenal failure, septic shock, or as antiemetics Radiotherapy * No prior thoracic or neck radiotherapy * No concurrent intensity-modulated radiotherapy Surgery * Recovered from prior exploratory thoracotomy * No prior surgical resection of the present cancer Other * More than 30 days since prior participation in another clinical trial * No concurrent participation in another clinical trial * No other concurrent anticancer therapy * No amifostine during or for 3 months after study radiotherapy