Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor–Resistant Disease

PURPOSE: EGFR-mutant lung cancer was first described as a new clinical entity in 2004. Here, we present an update on new controversies and conclusions regarding the disease. METHODS: This article reviews the clinical implications of EGFR mutations in lung cancer with a focus on epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance. RESULTS: The discovery of EGFR mutations has altered the ways in which we consider and treat non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients whose metastatic tumors harbor EGFR mutations are expected to live longer than 2 years, more than double the previous survival rates for lung cancer. CONCLUSION: The information presented in this review can guide practitioners and help them inform their patients about EGFR mutations and their impact on the treatment of NSCLC. Efforts should now concentrate on making EGFR-mutant lung cancer a chronic rather than fatal disease.