In order to clarify the role of this polymorphism in affecting the response to a platinum-based therapy, the polymorphic variant in the ERCC5 5′ untranslated region was studied and correlated with therapeutic outcomes in two abundantly occurring malignancies, NSCLC and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), treated in first-line with platinum based compounds. The gene discussed is ERCC5; the disease is non-small cell lung carcinoma.