Collection of Blood Samples in Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

This pilot research trial studies the collection of blood samples in monitoring tumor specific mutations in patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to other places in the body or cannot be removed by surgery. Collecting blood samples may help measure the changes in lung cancer, better learn methods to track cancer in the bloodstream, and improve cancer treatments.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To evaluate the ability of next generation sequencing (NGS) to monitor the evolution of cancer-specific mutations in patients undergoing treatment for non-small cell lung carcinoma and for whom the molecular profile of the tumor cells prior to treatment is known. II. Compare the sensitivity of digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) to that of NGS for detecting the appearance of EGFR T790M mutations in patients treated with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. OUTLINE: Patients undergo collection of blood samples at baseline and every 12 weeks for up to 6 times.