In a prospective randomised study involving patients with inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer, no differences were to be seen in the remission rates (30.3%, 22.7% and 25%, respectively; p = 0.4) achieved by the combinations mitomycin/ifosfamide, mitomycin/vindesine and cisplatin/etoposide. Nor were any statistically significant differences to be found in terms of the duration of survival. The median survival durations were 6.5, 5.5 and 6 months, respectively (p = 0.7). With respect to toxicity, the combination mitomycin/vindesine proved to be superior, in particular since virtually no gastrointestinal toxicity was observed with this combination. On the basis of these results and the-state of our knowledge to date, the conclusion may be drawn that cisplatin-containing combinations should no longer be employed in the chemotherapeutic treatment of non-small-cell cancers.