A randomised phase II clinical trial of nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin compared with gemcitabine and carboplatin as first-line therapy in advanced squamous cell lung carcinoma (C-TONG1002).

•Nab-paclitaxel/carboplatin and gemcitabine/carboplatin had the same efficacy in advanced squamous cell lung carcinoma.•Both progression-free survival and overall survival had no difference between the two arms.•Both nab-PC and GC are well tolerated.•Nab-PC had advantage of improving quality of life.