Figure 1.

Flow chart showing the routine clinical practice for non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis and treatment. (A) Lung cancer is suspected by imaging studies. (B) A definite diagnosis of NSCLC is determined by pathological examination. Because a definite diagnosis is mandatory before initiating cancer treatment, all patients provide either tissue samples or cytological samples containing cancer cells. At this point, access to the cancer cells is available and we are able to perform the mutation test. (C) Treatment is initiated after a definite diagnosis is determined.