Objective: To assess the therapeutic effectiveness of preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy using a combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin on local advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Twenty-five patients with advanced NSCLC were treated with paclitaxel and carboplatin for 2 to 4 cycles before undergoing tumor resection and then postoperative chemotherapy/radiotherapy therapy for 2 to 4 cycles. Results: Following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the most prominent side-effect was bone marrow restraint. The overall response rate of preoperative chemotherapy was 56%. The mean survival time was 26.5 months, with 1-, 2- and 5-year survival rates of 55%, 25%, and 16%, respectively. All NSCLC patients survived the perioperative period. Conclusion: Preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy combining paclitaxel and carboplatin produced minimal side-effect while increasing the probability that advanced NSCLC patients would be able to undergo surgery thus improving their prognosis.