Objective      To investigate the genetic status of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in cancer stem cells (CSCs) and non-cancer stem cells from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).       Methods      Thirty-five NSCLC surgical fresh specimens were collected in our department and the Second Peoples’ Hospital of Sichuan Province from June 2010 to August 2011. CD133-positive cells and CD133-negative cells were sorted by flow cytometry after CD133 staining. Amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) was employed to detect the presence of EGFR mutations in the 2 types of cells. The correlation of the EGFR mutations in different cells was analyzed.       Results      CD133-positive cells were detected in all collected specimens. The EGFR mutation rate was 28.6% in CD133-positive cells

which was higher in adenocarcinomas than in squamous cell carcinomas (P0.05). But there was no significant difference among different gender

age or smoking history (P0.05). The EGFR mutation rate was 42.9% in CD133-negative cells

which was higher in adenocarcinomas

and non- or slight-smokers (P0.05). There was no significant difference between different gender

or age (P0.05).  There were 11 specimens out of 35 which had EGFR gene heterogeneity in both CD133-positive cells and CD133-negative cells (11/35

31.4%). The remaining 24 specimens had the same EGFR gene status in both CD133-positive cells and CD133-negative cells (18 cases exhibited EGFR wild type in both CD133-positive and -negative cells

and 6 cases displayed activating EGFR mutations regardless of CD133 expression).       Conclusion      There are EGFR genetic heterogeneity existing between CD133-positive cells and CD133-negative cells in NSCLC.