Interestingly, in spite of blockade of EGFR phosphorylation, the increases in total and phosphorylated Src and total EGFR expression were found in A549 cells treated with an EGFR TKI erlotinib for 3 days, suggesting that these phenomenon might not be specific to the IGF-1R targeted agents and NSCLC cells may also be able to bypass EGFR by activating Src (Additional file 14: Figure S13). This evidence concerns the gene EGFR and non-small cell lung carcinoma.