OBJECTIVES: Overall objectives are to examine symptom burden and quality of life in prospectively accrued patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treated in real world settings.  The present report examines treatment patterns and baseline characteristics of an initial sample of 95 patients. METHODS: Patients starting first line treatment of stage IIIB/IV NSCLC were prospectively accrued and consented at 30 US-based community oncology settings.  Eligible patients received one of four regimens: A: pemetrexed with cisplatin or carboplatin; B: bevacizumab with chemotherapy doublet; C: chemotherapy doublet; D: bevacizumab, pemetrexed and carboplatin.  Site staff collected baseline demographic and clinical information, and patient-reported outcome and symptom measures at baseline and each office visit.  Overall target enrollment is 225. RESULTS: Of 95 patients, 40 (42%) were accrued in Regimen A, 17 (17.9%) in Regimen B, 13 (13.7%) in Regimen C, and 25 (26.3%) in Regimen D.  Patients were 54.7% male, 87.4% Caucasian, with mean age 64.6 (±11.7).  15.8% had impaired performance status (ECOG 2+ or equivalent), with 82.1% initially diagnosed at stage IV.  Common sites of metastasis were bone (41.1%), brain (23.2%), contralateral lung (19.0%), and liver (15.8%).  24.2% were current smokers; 67.4% past (median 38 pack years).  There were no differences in these characteristics by regimen.  The most common comorbidities were COPD (30.5%) and diabetes (16.8%).  Most patients were from the South (56.8%) vs. Northeast (13.7%), Midwest (21.1%), and West (8.4%).  Patients from the South were 3 times as likely (OR = 3.02) to receive a bevacizumab-containing regimen (Regimens B+D) than patients from the non-South regions, χ2 =6.5293, df =1, p =0.0106. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated for advanced NSCLC in real world settings appear demographically and clinically similar to patients treated in clinical trials.  Preliminary findings suggest regional differences in chemotherapeutic treatment patterns.