Evidence-based outcomes for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

A majority of patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) will have advanced disease at diagnosis. In the past, systemic therapy (chemotherapy) has demonstrated only slight improvement in survival, hence, practitioners were reluctant to refer patients for cytotoxic therapy. In the past few years, newer chemotherapeutic agents, with increased activity against NSCLC, have been shown to significantly improve median and 1-year survival rates and improve quality of life. Although advanced NSCLC is considered incurable disease, it is, however, potentially treatable disease. This chapter will address the evidence regarding currently available therapies for patients with advanced stage NSCLC.