Abstract: Objective To detect and observe the different expression and the prognosis relation between epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in benign lung disease and primary lung carcinoma. Methods To detect EGFR by immunohistochemical (IHC) ABC method. To test and follow-up survey the changes of EGF in lung cancer patients by radioimmunoassay(RIA). Results The level of EGFR in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) was 88% (80/91), in tissues (3 centimetres nearby tumor) was 64%(58/91), in benign lung disease was 10% (4/39) (t=4.73, P<0.01). The level of EGFR in normal lung tissues (6 centimetres nearby tumor) was 12%(11/91), but these was no significante difference with benign lung disease (t=2.8, P>0.05). EGFR was not tested in NSCLC. Before operation, the level of EGF in lung cancer patients was higher than that of benign lung patients, but it decreased after operation. The EGF in NSCLC with positive EGFR pre-operation was higher than that of negative EGFR, but it decreased post operation, while pre and post-recurrence it increased approaching the pre-operation level. NSCLC patients with positive EGFR, the recurrence rate was 16%, 55%, 70% and 81% a second time 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after operation, while the recurrence rate with negative EGFR was 0, 13%, 37% and 50%, respectively. Conclusions EGFR may play important action in the lung cancer prognosis.