Retreatment with icotinib in a patient with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma

A patient with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was successfully treated with icotinib. The tumor relapsed after a partial response and the patient was retreated with icotinib after temporary cessation. Surprisingly we found that the tumor responded to icotinib again. The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is still unclear. A better understanding of the biological basis of involved events will help us to improve treatment of advanced NSCLC.