Celecoxib and Erlotinib in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Stage IIIB or IV Measurable disease Progressive disease after at least 2 prior standard chemotherapy regimens OR refused standard chemotherapy No active CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 21 and over Performance status ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic Absolute neutrophil count at least 1,500/mm^3 Platelet count at least 100,000/mm^3 Hepatic Bilirubin no greater than 1.5 mg/dL Transaminases no greater than 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) PT and/or PTT no greater than 1.5 times ULN Renal Creatinine no greater than 2 mg/dL Cardiovascular No New York Heart Association class III or IV cardiac disease No myocardial infarction within the past year No symptomatic ventricular arrhythmia No symptomatic conduction abnormality Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No prior gastrointestinal ulceration, bleeding, or perforation No hypersensitivity to celecoxib, sulfonamides, aspirin, other NSAIDs, or other reagents used in this study No concurrent disease or medical condition that would preclude study treatment or compliance PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy Not specified Chemotherapy See Disease Characteristics More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy Endocrine therapy More than 4 weeks since prior corticosteroids No concurrent steroids (including chronic use) Concurrent topical steroids allowed Radiotherapy More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy Surgery Not specified Other More than 4 weeks since prior non-cytotoxic investigational agents More than 3 days since prior nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) No prior cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors for metastatic NSCLC No prior epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor for metastatic NSCLC No concurrent COX-2 inhibitors No concurrent NSAIDs No concurrent fluconazole or lithium