OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer is one of the most common high incidence and mortality cancers. Many lung cancer patients (LCPs) receive chemotherapy not only for curative treatment, but also to palliate symptoms and maintain or even improve their quality of life (QOL). Though the impact of substances and duration of chemotherapy on progression-free and overall survival is intensively investigated, there is currently only little knowledge on patients’ QOL in regard to the number of CT-lines administered. METHODS: By means of computer-based patient-reported outcome monitoring LCPs receiving ambulant chemotherapy (adjuvant or palliative) completed the internationally validated EORTC QLQ-C30, supplemented by two additional questions concerning taste alterations. Statistical analysis comprised mixed linear models to calculate change rates over time and differences between chemotherapy lines. RESULTS: A total of 175 LCPs (32% female, on average 68 years old (± 10.4 SD) and 5 (± 4.5 SD) assessments/patient) participated in repeated QOL-assessment during ambulant chemotherapy administration. Twenty percent of LCPs received adjuvant chemotherapy, 73.1% 1st line palliative chemotherapy and 6.9% 2nd or above line chemotherapy. 70.7% were diagnosed with NSCLC, 21.0 % with SCLC and 8.3% with other types of lung cancer. Symptom trajectories during adjuvant chemotherapy did not show a significant change in QOL-scores. LCPs receiving 1st line palliative chemotherapy experienced improvement concerning sleep disturbances (-1.9 points/month, p=.009), but deteriorations in regard to appetite loss and taste alterations (+2.8 points/month, p<.001, respectively), constipation (+1.8 points/month, p=.020) and financial impact (+1.3 points/month, p=.038); 2nd or above line palliative chemotherapy was associated with stronger symptom burden than adjuvant or 1stline palliative chemotherapy in most of the EORTC QLQ-C30 domains (e.g. physical, emotional and cognitive functioning, pain and appetite loss). CONCLUSIONS: Though aggressive, adjuvant treatment did not endanger patients’ QOL. 1st line palliative chemotherapy proved to be helpful in maintaining and stabilizing patients’ QOL, since deteriorations have been limited.