Gefitinib and Everolimus in Treating Patients With Stage IIIB or Stage IV or Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: Histologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) meeting 1 of the following stage criteria: Stage IIIB (unresectable, with malignant pleural or pericardial effusion) Stage IV disease Recurrent disease Measurable or evaluable indicator lesions Progressive disease after receiving ≥ 1 prior chemotherapy regimen that included cisplatin or carboplatin and docetaxel No uncontrolled brain or leptomeningeal metastases Must not require concurrent glucocorticoids for control of metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Age 18 and over Performance status Karnofsky 70-100% OR ECOG 0-2 Life expectancy Not specified Hematopoietic WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3 Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm^3 Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL Hepatic Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) AST ≤ 2.5 times ULN Renal Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN OR Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min Cardiovascular No congestive heart failure No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease No unstable angina Other Not pregnant or nursing Negative pregnancy test Fertile patients must use effective contraception No severe infection No severe malnutrition No other serious medical illness No other malignancy within the past 3 years except adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer or carcinoma of the cervix PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: Biologic therapy No concurrent biologic therapy No concurrent immunotherapy Chemotherapy See Disease Characteristics No prior conventional chemotherapy for metastatic or recurrent NSCLC (phase II only) At least 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy No other concurrent chemotherapy Endocrine therapy See Disease Characteristics No concurrent oral steroids for management of skin toxicity Radiotherapy At least 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy No concurrent radiotherapy Surgery At least 4 weeks since prior major surgery No concurrent surgery for an identifiable lesion Other Recovered from all prior therapy No prior gefitinib, erlotinib, or other epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor No concurrent cytotoxic therapy (e.g., methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis) No other concurrent oncolytic agents