[Advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer: importance of chemotherapy in the control of symptoms].

Chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer may be a controversy because it is only palliative and costly. Benefit of chemotherapy is nevertheless clear in survival and particularly life quality. Beside this technical criteria, two other factors have an impact on the therapeutic decision: symptom control and patient's personal expectations. The aim of the strategy is to determine an acceptable compromise in each situation.