Sorafenib and High-Dose Carboplatin, Paclitaxel, and External-Beam Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Inclusion criteria: * Histologically or cytologically documented non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) * Any of the following subtypes allowed: * Adenocarcinoma (including bronchoalveolar cell) * Squamous cell carcinoma * Large cell anaplastic carcinoma (including giant and clear cell carcinomas) * Poorly differentiated (not otherwise specified) NSCLC * No metastasis (patients must be M0) * Stage IIIA (T1 or T2 with N2 or T3N1-2) or stage IIIB (T4 with any N or any T with N2 or N3) disease * Measurable disease * Tumors adjacent to a vertebral body are allowed as long as all gross disease can be encompassed in the radiation boost field * The boost volume must be limited to \< 50% of the ipsilateral lung volume * Pleural effusion that is a transudate, cytologically negative, and nonbloody allowed if the radiation oncologists feel the tumor can still be encompassed within a reasonable field of radiotherapy * Pleural effusions seen on the chest CT but too small to tap allowed Exclusion criteria: * Totally resected tumors * Exudative, bloody, or cytologically malignant effusions * Known brain metastasis * Patients with neurological symptoms must undergo a CT scan/MRI of the brain to exclude brain metastasis PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Inclusion criteria: * Zubrod performance status 0-1 * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (prior to transfusions) * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL * AST or ALT ≤ 3 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN * Glucose ≤ 2 times ULN * Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL * FEV\_1 ≥ 1,200 mL * Weight loss ≤ 10% over the past 3 months * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Women of childbearing potential and male participants who are unwilling or unable to use an acceptable method of contraception throughout the study and for 4 weeks after completion of treatment or those who are using a prohibited contraceptive method * INR \< 1.5 or a PT/PTT within normal limits Exclusion criteria: * Known allergy to murine proteins or Cremophor EL * Active pulmonary infection not responsive to conventional antibiotics * History of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring ≥ 3 hospitalizations over the past year * Cardiac disease including any of the following: * Congestive heart failure \> class II NYHA * Unstable angina (anginal symptoms at rest) or new onset angina (began within the last 3 months) * Myocardial infarction within the past 6 months * Cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy * Patients with neuropathy \> grade 1 * Evidence of malignancy in the past 2 years except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or other in situ cancer * Uncontrolled hypertension defined as systolic blood pressure \> 150 mm Hg or diastolic pressure \> 90 mm Hg, despite optimal medical management * Known HIV infection or chronic hepatitis B * Active clinically serious infection \> CTCAE grade 2 * Thrombolic or embolic events, such as a cerebrovascular accident including transient ischemic attacks, within the past 6 months * Pulmonary hemorrhage or bleeding event ≥ CTCAE grade 2 within the past 4 weeks * Any other hemorrhage or bleeding event ≥ CTCAE Grade 3 within the past 4 weeks * Serious nonhealing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture * Evidence or history of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy * Known or suspected allergy to sorafenib tosylate or any agent given in the course of this trial * Any condition that impairs patient's ability to swallow whole pills * Any malabsorption problem * Significant traumatic injury within the past 4 weeks PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Inclusion criteria: * Recovered from exploratory thoracotomy * Concurrent anti-coagulation treatment with an agent such as warfarin or heparin allowed provided INR or PT/PTT requirements are met Exclusion criteria: * Prior systemic chemotherapy for lung cancer and/or thoracic/neck radiotherapy for any reason * Prior surgical resection of present cancer * Prior therapy with any molecular-targeted drugs (for lung cancer) * Currently participating in other phase III therapeutic clinical trials and/or who have participated in other phase III therapeutic clinical trials in the previous 30 days * Major surgery or open biopsy within the past 4 weeks * Concurrent Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) or rifampin (rifampicin) * Other concurrent anticancer drugs, including hormonal, immunotherapeutic, or chemotherapeutic agents * Steroids for acute symptom management, adrenal failure, septic shock, or as antiemetics allowed * Hormones administered for nondisease-related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes) allowed * Amifostine concurrently with radiotherapy or within 3 months of completion of radiotherapy * Concurrent colony-stimulating factors (i.e., filgrastim \[G-CSF\] or sargramostim \[GM-CSF\])