Subgroup analysis revealed a longer PFS in patients given first-line EGFR-TKIs than in those receiving second- or higher-line EGFR-TKIs among the advanced NSCLC patients harboring EGFR exon 19 deletion mutation (P = 0.04), while PFS did not differed after EGFR-TKIs use, whether given as first-line, or second/higher-line therapy among the advanced NSCLC patients harboring L858R mutation at exon 21 (P = 0.229). Here, EGFR is linked to non-small cell lung carcinoma.