Gemcitabine has been demonstrated active in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this trial was to evaluate the feasibility of combinations of gemcitabine (1 g/m2 dl,8,15) with cisplatin (60 mg/m2 dl) and carboplatin (200 mg/m2 dl) (CCG; n = 12) or ifosfamide (4.5 g/m2 dl) (IG;n = 4) in patients with advanced NSCLC, in order to prepare a phase III randomised trial. Toxicity, mainly haematological, was tolerable. It consisted in neutropenia (IG) and both thrombopenia and neutropenia (CCG). The administration of carboplatin according to the AUC (AUC = 3) resulted in a significant reduction of haematological toxicity. A good number of responses were documented. These acceptable results urged our group to compare these regimens to the combination of cisplatin, carboplatin and if osfamide.