Erlotinib Hydrochloride Before Surgery in Treating Patients With Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To estimate the rate of mediastinal nodal clearance and complete pathological response after neoadjuvant erlotinib (erlotinib hydrochloride) in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutated stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine the progression free survival in patient population of EGFR mutated stage III NSCLC patients who are treated with neoadjuvant erlotinib therapy. II. To determine the overall survival. III. To estimate the overall response rate from neoadjuvant erlotinib. IV. To estimate the surgical resection rate. V. To evaluate the safety of neoadjuvant erlotinib. TERTIARY OBJECTIVES: I. To determine several molecular and cellular biomarkers in the tumors, the skin and the serum that are predictive of the efficacy of neoadjuvant erlotinib. OUTLINE: Patients receive erlotinib hydrochloride orally (PO) once daily (QD) for 2 months and then undergo thoracotomy. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 30 days, every 3 months for 1 year, and then every 6 months for 5 years.