Aim: to assess the quality of life (QOL) of lung cancer patients.Subject and methods: Twenty-four subjects were interviewed, and questionnaires were filled to evaluate the subjective quality of life of the patients. Objective evaluation was conducted using the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). Subjective evaluation included physical, social, and spiritual dimensions. Evaluation was conducted at the time of diagnosis (initial phase, 24 subjects), and reevaluation was conducted during the adaptive phase (21 subjects).Time and place: the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central General Hospital and Dharmais Cancer Hospital, Jakarta, from January 2001 to January 2002.Results: At the time of diagnosis 1 subject had poor QOL, 18 (75%) had moderate QOL, and 5 had high QOL. At the reevaluation, 8 had mild QOL and 13 had high QOL.Conclusions: There was a significant increment of quality of life from the time of diagnosis to the second evaluation.Abbreviations: (QOL) quality oflife,(KPS)Karnofsky Perfomance Status