Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Randomised controlled trials and case series were included.
Specific interventions included in the review
Single-agent chemotherapy using cisplatin (n=568), ifosfamide (n=420), mitomycin (n=115), adriamycin (n=261), carboplatin (n=491), vindesine (n=449), vinblastine (n=22), etoposide (n=298), gemcitabine (n=332), taxotere (n=43), taxol (n=49), navelbine (n=284), irinotecan (CPT-11; n=72), teniposide (VM 26; n=34), high-dose epirubicin (n=24) and fotemustine (n=37).
Combination chemotherapy compared with single agents (patient numbers not given): etoposide and cisplatin versus cisplatin; mitomycin C plus cisplatin versus cisplatin; vindesine and cisplatin versus vindesine; and navelbine and cisplatin versus navelbine.
Combinations including 3 of the following, sometimes compared with 1 or 2 drug regimens: mitomycin C, ifosfamide, cisplatin, etoposide, vinca alkaloid, platinum, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and methotrexate.
Single-agent (procarbazine, etoposide) and combination chemotherapy were compared with best supportive care in 2 and 9 studies, respectively.
Participants included in the review
Patients with advanced NSCLC were included.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The outcomes assessed were response rates, survival and symptom palliation.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The author does not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the reviewers performed the selection.