OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study of topotecan. Patients receive oral topotecan on days 1-5 and paclitaxel IV over 3 hours on day 1. Treatment continues every 21 days in the absence of unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of topotecan until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose limiting toxicities. Once the MTD is determined, additional patients with non-small cell lung cancer are accrued to receive treatment with topotecan and paclitaxel at the recommended phase II dose. Quality of life is assessed in the phase II portion of the study at baseline, before each treatment course, and at the end of the study. Patients are followed at 3 weeks.