Gene expression of growth factors including epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), oncogenes such as c-myc, N-ras, c-erbB2 and tumor suppressor gene P53 were studied in 4 human lung cancer cell lines using Northern blot technique. Among these cell lines were 2 adenocarcinoma cell lines, one large cell carcinoma cell line and one small cell carcinoma cell line. Expression of EGF and TGF alpha mRNAs were found in all 4 cell lines and EFGR mRNA was seen in 3 out of 4 cell lines. Among these cell lines, 2 cell lines with weaker expression of EGF and TGF alpha, expressed c-myc mRNA. Another 2 cell lines had no c-myc but expressed large amounts of EGF and TGF alpha mRNA. No expression of N-ras, c-erbB2 and p53 were found in these cell lines. The results indicate the presence of autocrine loop of growth factors in these cancer cells. The autostimulation of growth factors may be the main cause for the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. After treating the cancer cells with EGF, anti-EGF and anti-EGFR antibodies, EGF was found to exert a mild stimulating effect on the growth of one cell line, but no effect on the other cell lines. Anti-EGF and anti-EGFR antibodies inhibited the cell growth on all cell lines. These results provided further evidence for the presence of autocrine loop of growth factors in these lung cancer cell lines.