Inclusion Criteria:

- Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of advanced non small cell lung
cancer, not amenable to surgical or curative radiation therapy (stage IIIB or IV);

- No prior or concomitant chemotherapy (adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy permitted if
concluded at least one year prior to enrollment);

- ECOG performance status 2;

- Age: > or = 18 and < 70 years;

- Life expectancy at least 4 weeks;

- Normal bone marrow, hepatic and renal function defined as: neutrophils > or =
2000/mm3, PLT > or = 100,000/mm3, Hb > or = 10.0 g/dl, Bilirubin > or = 1.5 times the
upper normal limit (UNL), AST and ALT < or = 3 times the UNL (5 times in the presence
of liver metastases), creatinine within normal limits;

- Signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Active systemic infections;

- Severe concomitant illness (congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, myocardial
infarction within previous 6 months, cardiac arrhythmias under treatment, severe
arterial hypertension, severe or uncontrolled diabetes mellitus);

- Inadequate hepatic or renal function;

- Radiation therapy ongoing or concluded within two weeks prior to enrollment;

- Symptomatic cerebral metastases;

- Previous chemotherapy for advanced disease;

- Any condition that would, in the investigator's opinion, limit the patients ability
to provide informed consent or to comply with study procedures;

- Pregnant or nursing females;

- Any malignancy within the past 5 years (except for adequately treated carcinoma in
situ of the cervix or non melanoma skin cancer)