Three studies found the following treatment goals that patients mentioned before starting treatment for metastatic lung cancer: improve or maintain quality of life, prolong life, find comfort, fight cancer and cure cancer [10–12]. In a previous study we found that after treatment patients reported in less than 50% of time that these goals were achieved: quality of life for 30%, life prolongation for 49%, decrease tumour size for 26% and cure for 44%. Directly after the treatment was finished most patients felt, in hindsight, that starting treatment was the right decision, even if the treatment goals were not achieved (Mieras et al.: What goals do patients and oncologists have when starting a medical treatment for metastatic lung cancer?, submitted).