OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine the biologically active dose of celecoxib administered with erlotinib in patients with stage IIIB or IV non-small cell lung cancer. * Determine the toxicity profile of this regimen in these patients. Secondary * Determine the clinical activity of this regimen, in terms of reduction in tumor burden, in these patients. * Correlate biological endpoints with cyclooxygenase-2 and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition in patients treated with this regimen. OUTLINE: This is a nonrandomized, dose-escalation study of celecoxib. Patients receive oral erlotinib once daily and oral celecoxib twice daily on days 1-28. Treatment repeats every 4 weeks for 2 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with stable or responding disease may continue treatment beyond 2 courses at the investigator's discretion. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of celecoxib until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and biologically active dose (BAD) are determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). The BAD is defined as the maximum decrease in the level of PGE_2 where no DLT occurs. Patients are followed every 2 months. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 21-27 patients will be accrued for this study.
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