OBJECTIVES: To assess the burden of hospitalization in advanced lung cancer patients in the United States.  METHODS: Oncologists (N=101) actively involved in management of advanced lung cancer in United States were invited to participate in a lung cancer disease specific program. Each consenting physician was asked to complete patient record forms for 12 advanced (stage IIIB/IV) lung cancer patients seen in their practice and receiving 1st, 2nd or 3rdline of therapy for advanced lung cancer. The study period extended from Oct- Dec 2011. Data on hospitalization that included reasons of hospitalization and the length of stay (LOS) over the past year was provided by physicians from patient records. RESULTS: Majority of the patients (N=1200) were male (56%), Caucasian (71%) and Stage IV (78%), with an average age of 65 years. Hospitalization records were obtained for 93% (n=1110) of the patients among which 22% (n=248) of the patients ≥1 hospitalization events in the previous year with an average (SD) LOS of 4 (2.4) days and a median LOS of 3 days. The reasons reported for the 293 hospitalization events were disease symptoms (61%), surgery (19%) and therapy side effects (43%). The LOS for surgery related hospitalization (n=57) ranged from 1-12 days (mean (SD): 6 (2.9) days; median: 5 days). Among disease symptoms reported as reasons for hospitalization, the most frequent were pain (51%), dyspnea (47%) and cough (47%) respectively. Among side effects reported as reasons for hospitalization anemia (25%), febrile neutropenia (21%) and fatigue (20%) were most frequently reported. CONCLUSIONS: Burden of hospitalization in advanced lung cancer patients is significant in the United States. Innovative therapies with favorable side effect profile that also alleviate need for surgery and are effective in improving lung cancer symptoms could help significantly in decreasing hospitalization burden in advanced lung cancer patients.