Background. The therapeutic equivalence of different third-generation agents in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has long been accepted, although recent studies seem to suggest some superiority of gemcitabine-or docetaxel-containing regimens over other third-generation doublets.Objective. To assess the relative impact of different third-generation drugs on the activity of first-line chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer by considering both response and progressive disease (PD) rates as outcome measures.Methods. Published and unpublished data were collected from randomized trials comparing a gemcitabine-, docetaxel-, vinorelbine-or paclitaxel-containing regimen with one or more gemcitabine-, docetaxel-, vinorelbine-or paclitaxel-free combinations. For