Although crizotinib, a small-molecular TKI, is now approved for the treatment of advanced ALK-positive NSCLC in view of its favorable therapeutic effect and safety in clinical trials [34, 35], the prognostic influence of ALK rearrangement in early-stage NSCLC in the absence of crizotinib treatment remains unclear. The gene discussed is ALK; the disease is non-small cell lung carcinoma.