Cryotherapy in Treating Patients With Primary Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer or Lung Metastasis

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Histologically or cytologically confirmed (by percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy or transbronchial biopsy) diagnosis of 1 the following:
• Non-small cell lung carcinoma
• Stage I disease
• Primary disease
• No primary lung metastatic disease, satellite lesions of the chest, mediastinal lymph nodes > 1.5 cm, hepatic or adrenal masses by the PET scan or the CT scan
• Metastatic cancer to the lung
• Must have a definitive cancer diagnosis with the primary tumor under local control and no metastatic disease other than to the lung
• Solitary or multiple (≤ 3) peripheral lung lesions
• No chemotherapy since the new metastatic lesion appeared
• Measurable disease, defined as 1 lesion unidimensionally measured ≤ 3.0 cm by conventional CT scan techniques
• Must be registered with the Clinical Trials office at the Karmanos Cancer Center/Wayne State University
• Must be a candidate for a thoracotomy
• No evidence of cerebral disease or metastatic disease of the brain

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Neutrophil count > 1,500/mm^3
• Platelet count > 75,000/mm^3
• PT and PTT normal
• FEV\_1 > 1.0 L/sec
• Diffusing capacity ≥ 30%
• Not pregnant or nursing
• No other uncontrolled or concurrent illnesses including, but not limited to, any of the following conditions:
• Active infection
• Heart failure
• Unstable angina
• Cardiac dysrhythmia
• Psychiatric illness or a social situation that would limit compliance with the study requirements

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• See Disease Characteristics
• No prior radiation therapy or chemotherapy for these particular tumors
• No concurrent aspirin or other platelet-inhibiting drugs (e.g., coumadin or heparin)
• No other concurrent experimental studies