Can a drug combo wipe out hidden lung cancer cells after surgery?

NCT ID NCT04367311

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This phase II study is testing whether adding the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab to standard chemotherapy after lung cancer surgery can clear tumor DNA from the blood. The trial enrolls 100 patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer who had detectable tumor DNA after surgery. The goal is to see if this combination reduces the chance of cancer coming back.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Atezolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) combined with cisplatin-based chemotherapy

What this could lead to

If successful, this approach could help prevent lung cancer from returning after surgery by using the immune system to target remaining cancer cells.

What could go wrong

This is a mid-stage trial with only 100 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Immunotherapy can cause immune-related side effects, and the added benefit over standard chemo alone is not yet proven.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

lung cancer lung neoplasm non-small cell lung carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center

    Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

  • New York University Clinical Cancer Center

    New York, New York, 10016, United States

  • Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

    Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

  • Penn State Cancer Institute

    Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States

  • Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

    New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, United States

  • Summit Health

    Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, 07922, United States

  • University of Virginia Health System

    Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908, United States

  • University of Wisconsin

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States