Over the past decade, three small-molecule ErbB tyrosine kinases inhibitors (TKIs) have been shown to efficiently target tumour cell survival pathways in advanced non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) expressing the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR): gefitinib (approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2003), erlotinib (approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in November 2004) and icotinib (approved by China’s State Food and Drug Administration in June 2011). The gene discussed is EGFR; the disease is neoplasm.