Abstract: Objective :To evaluate the efficacy, side effects and improving the quality of life of sin-gle-agent versus combination chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced non- -small cell lungcancer(NSCLC). Methods :Ninety-six chemotherapy-naive elderly patients with advanced NSCLC wererandomly assigned to three groups, and received chemotherapy every 28 days for 2 cycles. Thirty pa-tients received P ( PTX 60mg/m²,d1,8,15) in group A. Thirty-four patients received PC (PTX 60mg/m²,d1,8,15; CDDP 30mg/m 2, d2~4) in group B. Thirty-two patients received PCb (PTX 60mg/m 2,d1,8,15;CBP at an AUC of 5, d2.) in group C. Results : The objective response rate was 26.7%, 55.9% and53.1% in groups A, B and C, respectively. One- year survial rate was 39.7%, 35.3% and 47.2%, andmedian survival was 8 months, 9 months and 10 months in groups A, B and C, respectively. The effica-cy of groups A and B was better than that of group C (P<0.05), but there was no significant defferencebetween group A and group B (P>0.05). One- year survial rate was not statistically different among threegroups (P>0.05). The major side effects, including myelosuppression, stomatitis, allergy and alopecia,were similar in three groups, but nausea/vomiting were more obvious in group B relatively (P<0.05). Im-proving the quality of life of group C was better than that of groups A and B (P<0.05), without any sig-nificant defference between group A and group B (P>0.05). Conclusion : The therapeutic effect of com-bination chemotherapy in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC was better than that of single agent,and side effects were tollerable. Improving quality of life of PCb regimen was better than that of P regi-men and PC regimen.