Abstract: Objective To observe the efficacy of docetaxel and gefitinib in the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Methods A total of 58 patients with non-small cell lung cancer were divided into control group and study group, with 29 cases in each group. The control group was treated with docetaxel combined with cisplatin, while the study group was treated with gefitinib. Follow-up was conducted after 1 year of treatment, the total effective rate, incidence of adverse reactions, survival rate, vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)level, mental health score and quality of life score before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. Results The total effective rate of treatment in the study group was 65.52%, which was significantly higher than 34.48% in the control group(P<0.05); the 1-year survival rate in the study group was 79.31%, which was significantly higher than 51.72% in the control group(P<0.05); after treatment, VEGF level in the study group was lower than that in the control group, and mental health score and quality of life score were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05). Conclusion Gefitinib has better efficacy than docetaxel in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. It can effectively improve survival rate, reduce VEGF level, improve quality of life and mental state.