Table 1S
PICO 1: Is first-line chemotherapy based on histology results more effective compared to other types of
chemotherapy for patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC*?
Population: Patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC
Intervention: First-line chemotherapy based on histology results
Comparator: Other types of chemotherapy
Outcome: Overall survival, progression free survival, response rate, toxicity
PICO 2: Are EGFR TKIs a more effective first-line treatment than standard or platinum-based
chemotherapy for patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC with EGFR mutations?
Population: Patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC with EGFR mutations
Intervention: TKI as first-line treatment
Comparator: Standard chemotherapy, platinum-based chemotherapy
Outcome: Overall survival, progression free survival, response rate, toxicity, quality of life
PICO 3: Is Bevacizumab with chemotherapy safe for patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC and
treated brain metastases, anticoagulation or poor performance status compared to chemotherapy alone?
Population: Patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC and stable patients with brain metastases,
anticoagulation, poor performance status
Intervention: Bevacizumab with chemotherapy as first-line treatment
Comparator: Chemotherapy alone
Outcome: Safety
PICO 4: Do patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC receiving either continuation or switch
maintenance chemotherapy have better outcomes than patients receiving no maintenance chemotherapy?
Population: Patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC
Intervention: Continuation or switch maintenance chemotherapy
Comparator: No maintenance chemotherapy
Outcome: Overall survival, progression free survival, response rate, toxicity, quality of life
PICO 5: Is chemotherapy with Cetuximab (anti-EGFR antibodies) more effective at improving survival
than chemotherapy alone for patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC.
Population: Patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC
Intervention: Chemotherapy with Cetuximab (anti-EGFR antibodies)
Comparator: Chemotherapy alone
Outcome: Overall survival, progression free survival, response rate, toxicity, quality of life
PICO 6: Will second/third line chemotherapy lead to better survival than no second/third line
chemotherapy for patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC with prior therapy?
Population: Patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC with prior therapy
Intervention: Second/third line chemotherapy
Comparator: No second/third line chemotherapy
Outcome: Overall survival, progression free survival, response rate, toxicity, quality of life, end of life
PICO 7: Is doublet chemotherapy more effective than single agent chemotherapy for patients greater than
70 years of age with advanced Stage IV NSCLC?
Population: Elderly patients >70 years of age with advanced Stage IV NSCLC
Intervention: Chemotherapy (doublet)
Comparator: Single agent therapy
Outcome: Response rate, toxicity, overall quality of life, progression free survival, overall survival
PICO 8: Is doublet chemotherapy more effective than single agent chemotherapy for patients with
performance status 2 with advanced Stage IV NSCLC?
Population: Patients with performance status (PS) 2 with advanced Stage IV NSCLC
Intervention: Chemotherapy (doublet)
Comparator: Single agent therapy
Outcome: Response rate, toxicity, overall quality of life, progression free survival, overall survival
PICO 9: Is palliative care more effective in improving survival than no palliative care for patients with
advanced Stage IV NSCLC?
Population: Patients with advanced Stage IV NSCLC
Intervention: Palliative care
Comparator: No palliative care
Outcome: Overall survival, progression free survival, response rate, toxicity, quality of life, end of life
*Regarding the stage nomenclature, in this table the 7th Edition staging nomenclature is used (see
reference 2). Stage IV equates to the 6th edition nomenclature of stage IIIB/IV.