Our initial in vitro experimental model consisted of EGFR-mutant human NSCLC cell lines PC9 and HCC827, which we exposed to a lethal dose of EGFR-TKIs for 9 days (gefitinib or osimertinib); this treatment resulted in the expected small population of viable and quiescent DTP cells. Here, EGFR is linked to non-small cell lung carcinoma.