Evidence-based medicine in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer.

Treatment decisions for non-small-cell lung cancer require accurate initial staging of patients. Typically surgical resection is recommended for early stage disease, while chemotherapy in conjunction with radiotherapy and possibly surgical resection is recommended for selected patients with locally advanced disease. Chemotherapy clearly has been demonstrated to improve survival and quality of life in metastatic disease. Surgical, chemotherapeutic, and radiotherapy treatment options as well as the role of multi-modality therapy will be discussed focusing on the evidence for various stages of non-small-cell lung cancer.