This article describes the findings of two large, randomised Phase III trials (LUX-Lung 3 (LL3) and LUX-Lung 6 (LL6)), which compared the ErbB family blocker afatinib with standard platinum-doublet chemotherapy (cisplatin+pemetrexed in LL3; cisplatin+gemcitabine in LL6) in treatment-naive patients with advanced NSCLC harbouring EGFR mutations in their tumours (Sequist et al, 2013; Wu et al, 2014; Yang et al, 2015). This evidence concerns the gene EGFR and neoplasm.