Vandetanib, Carboplatin, and Paclitaxel in Treating Patients With Stage I, Stage II, or Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer That Can Be Removed by Surgery

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), meeting 1 of the following staging criteria: * Stage IB or II disease * T3, N0-1 disease (stage IIIA) * Deemed a surgical candidate * No prior lung cancer (NSCLC or small cell lung cancer) PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100% * WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³ * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³ * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³ * Bilirubin normal * AST and ALT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * No evidence of severe or uncontrolled systemic disease or any concurrent condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, would preclude study compliance * No peripheral neuropathy ≥ grade 2 * No hemoptysis within the past 12 weeks * No spontaneous bleeding within the past 12 weeks * No clinically significant cardiac event (e.g., NYHA class II-IV heart disease, myocardial infarction) within the past 3 months * No history of asymptomatic sustained ventricular tachycardia or arrhythmia that is symptomatic or requires treatment, including any of the following: * Multifocal premature ventricular contractions * Bigeminy * Trigeminy * Ventricular tachycardia * Uncontrolled atrial fibrillation * Atrial fibrillation controlled with medication allowed * No history of QTc prolongation as a result from other medication that required discontinuation of that medication * No congenital long QT syndrome or first-degree family relative with an unexplained death before the age of 40 * No left bundle branch block * No QTc with Bazett's correction that is unmeasurable or QTc ≥ 480 milliseconds on screening ECG * Patients with QTc ≥ 480 milliseconds on screening ECG may have ECG repeated twice * Average QTc from the 3 screening ECG's must be \< 480 milliseconds * No uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP \> 160 mm Hg or diastolic BP \> 100 mm Hg) * No active diarrhea or active gastrointestinal disease that may affect the absorption of study drugs or ability to tolerate study drugs * No other malignancy within the past 3 years except in situ cervical carcinoma or adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * More than 4 weeks since major surgery and recovered * No prior carboplatin, paclitaxel, or vandetanib * More than 30 days since prior investigational agents * More than 2 weeks since prior and no concurrent drugs that induce CYP3A4 including, but not limited to, any of the following: * Rifampin * Phenytoin * Carbamazepine * Barbiturates * Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) * No medication that may cause QTc prolongation or induce torsades de pointes for 2 weeks prior to beginning study treatment, during, and for 2 weeks after completion of study treatment * No concurrent combination antiretroviral treatment for HIV-positive patients * No other concurrent investigational agents