ObjectiveTo explore the therapeutic efficacy of crizotinib for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 31 ALK-positive NSCLC patients who received crizotinib treatment between November 2012 and May 2014 in the Department of Thoracic Oncology of West China Hospital. The median age of the patients was 51 years old, and the percentage of male and female patients was 45.2% and 54.8%, respectively. Among them, 74.2% were non-smokers, 74.2% had an ECOG performance status of 0-2. Histologically, adenocarcinoma was the highest proportion of 96.8%, and one (3.2%) patient had large cell carcinoma. Fifteen (48.4%) ALK-positive patients were given crizotinib in the first-line setting, and 16 (51.6%) accepted crizotinib in the second-line and beyond. ResultsThe objective response rate (ORR) of the patients treated with crizotinib was 61.3%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 90.3%. The median progression-free survival (time) was 10.0 months [(95% CI (2.9, 17.0) months]. The difference of ORR and DCR between the patients given crizotinib in the first-line setting and the patients given crizotinib in the second-line or beyond was not statistically significant (P=0.716 and P=0.600, respectively). The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were increased aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (64.5%), nausea and vomiting (35.5%), leukopenia (16.7%), vision disorder (16.1%), edema (12.9%), and diarrhea (12.9%), and most toxicities were grade 1 and 2. ConclusionThis study shows that crizotinib can increase the objective response rate and disease control rate, prolong progression-free survival time in patients with advanced ALK-positive non–small-cell lung cancer. Crizotinib has relative fewer side effects and can be tolerated by the patients.