Abstract: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most common targeted oncogenes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have become the standard treatment for metastatic or recurrent NSCLC patients harboring EGFR positive or concomitant T790M mutations. However, the inevitable emergence of acquired resistance markedly limits their prolonged clinical benefits, although the third-generation EGFR TKIs have shown potent clinical outcomes in initial several months. This paper firstly reviews the characteristics and clinical efficacy of the third-generation EGFR TKIs in the market or in the clinical development. Then this article summarizes the detailed mechanisms behind the acquired drug resistance of third-generation EGFR TKIs，and further expounds the current treatment strategies to overcome the resistance. Collectively, this review could provide more information for the development and clinical application of drugs targeting EGFR.

Key words: non-small cell lung cancer, EGFR TKIs, T790M mutation, therapeutic resistance