Cisplatin or Carboplatin, and Etoposide With or Without Sunitinib Malate in Treating Patients With Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

This partially randomized phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of sunitinib malate and to see how well it works when given together with cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide in treating patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, carboplatin, and etoposide, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Sunitinib malate may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth and by blocking blood flow to the tumor. It is not yet known whether cisplatin or carboplatin and etoposide are more effective when given with or without sunitinib malate in treating small cell lung cancer.