Clinical Research Directory

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must have FDG-avid (maximum SUV \>= 4.0) (from PET scan of any date, any scanner) and histologically or cytologically proven non-small cell lung cancer * Patients must be clinical American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage IIIA or IIIB (AJCC, 7th ed.) with non-operable disease; non-operable disease will be determined by a multi-disciplinary treatment team, involving evaluation by at least 1 thoracic surgeon within 8 weeks prior to registration; Note: For patients who are clearly nonresectable, the case can be determined by the treating radiation oncologist and a medical oncologist, or pulmonologist * Patients with multiple, ipsilateral pulmonary nodules (T3 or T4) are eligible if a definitive course of daily fractionated radiation therapy (RT) is planned * History/physical examination, including documentation of weight, within 2 weeks prior to registration * FDG-PET/CT scan for staging and RT plan within 4 weeks prior to registration * CT scan or sim CT of chest and upper abdomen (IV contrast is recommended unless medically contraindicated) within 6 weeks prior to registration * CT scan of the brain (contrast is recommended unless medically contraindicated) or MRI of the brain within 6 weeks prior to registration * Pulmonary function tests, including diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO), within 6 weeks prior to registration; patients must have forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) \>= 1.2 Liter or \>= 50% predicted without bronchodilator * Zubrod performance status 0-1 * Able to tolerate PET/CT imaging required to be performed at an American College of Radiology (ACR) Imaging Core Laboratory (Lab) qualified facility * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500 cells/mm\^3 (within 2 weeks prior to registration on study) * Platelets \>= 100,000 cells/mm\^3 (within 2 weeks prior to registration on study) * Hemoglobin (Hgb) \>= 10.0 g/dL (note: the use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve Hgb \>= 10.0 g/dL is acceptable) (within 2 weeks prior to registration on study) * Serum creatinine within normal institutional limits or a creatinine clearance \>= 60 ml/min within 2 weeks prior to registration * Negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 3 days prior to registration for women of childbearing potential * Women of childbearing potential and male participants must agree to use a medically effective means of birth control throughout their participation in the treatment phase of the study * The patient must provide study-specific informed consent prior to study entry Exclusion Criteria: * Patients with any component of small cell lung carcinoma are excluded * Patients with evidence of a malignant pleural or pericardial effusion are excluded * Prior invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free for a minimum of 3 years (for example, carcinoma in situ of the breast, oral cavity, or cervix are all permissible) * Prior systemic chemotherapy for the study cancer; note that prior chemotherapy for a different cancer is allowable * Prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields * Severe, active co-morbidity, defined as follows: * Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months * Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months * Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration * Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy at the time of registration * Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects; note, however, that laboratory tests for liver function and coagulation parameters are not required for entry into this protocol * Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) based upon current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) definition; note, however, that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing is not required for entry into this protocol * Pregnancy or women of childbearing potential and men who are sexually active and not willing/able to use medically acceptable forms of contraception * Poorly controlled diabetes (defined as fasting glucose level \> 200 mg/dL) despite attempts to improve glucose control by fasting duration and adjustment of medications; patients with diabetes will preferably be scheduled in the morning and instructions for fasting and use of medications will be provided in consultation with the patients' primary physicians * Patients with T4 disease with radiographic evidence of massive invasion of a large pulmonary artery and tumor causing significant narrowing and destruction of that artery are excluded