Inclusion Criteria:

* Scheduled to undergo treatment with TAXOL at 150-200 mg/m2 and CBDCA at area under the curve (AUC) = 5-7 every 21 or 28 days for at least 12 weeks; alternatively, paclitaxel can be prescribed at 80 mg/m2 weekly for at least 12 weeks, with the same CBDCA dose of AUC = 5-7 every 21 days; additional chemotherapy agents are allowed (bevacizumab, etoposide, etc) per physician discretion, as long as they are not known to be neurotoxic; Note: patients ideally will begin GSH therapy prior to their first dose of this chemotherapy, but must begin GSH therapy prior to their second dose of chemotherapy
* Ability to sign informed consent and understand the nature of a placebo-controlled trial
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2
* Ability to complete English language questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance
* Life expectancy \>= 6 months
* Negative pregnancy test done =\< 7 days prior to registration, for women of childbearing potential only, per clinician discretion
* Willingness to provide blood specimens as required by the protocol
* White blood cell (WBC) \>= 3400
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1500
* Platelet (PLT) \>= 100,000
* Hemoglobin (HgB) \> 10.0
* Creatinine =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pre-existing history of peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1 (National Cancer Institute \[NCI\] CTCAE version \[v\] 4.0) due to any cause (e.g., chemotherapy, diabetes, alcohol, toxin, or heredity)
* Other medical conditions, which in the opinion of the treating physician/allied health professional would make this protocol unreasonably hazardous for the patient
* Any of the following:

* Pregnant women
* Nursing women
* Women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception
* Prior TAXOL and/or CBDCA chemotherapy treatment (other than the current treatment regimen)
* Concurrent use of any agent being used specifically to prevent or treat neuropathy, including but not limited to the following:

* Gabapentin
* Glutamine powder or glutamine tablets
* Vitamin B6 or E