The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of a combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Twenty-five patients were included (13--IIIB, and 12--IV stage). Gemcitabine--1000 mg/m2 was given intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15, and cisplatin--100 mg/m2 on day 2. In 13 patients partial remission was obtained, in 8--stabilisation, and in 4--progression. Median survival was 12 months (range: 1.5-32 months). Mean time to progression was 6 months. Toxicity was tolerable and included mainly thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and anemia. In 11 patients pain relief was obtained. Furthermore cough, dyspnoea and hemoptysis disappeared in a proportion of patients. These results indicate the efficacy of the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin regimen in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, and its acceptable toxicity.