Antibiotic plus radiation: a new weapon against lung cancer?
NCT ID NCT03546829
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This early-stage trial tests whether adding the antibiotic vancomycin to precision radiation is safe for people with non-small cell lung cancer that has started growing in a few spots. Ten participants will take vancomycin for five weeks and receive targeted radiation. The main goal is to check for severe diarrhea and other side effects, not to measure how well the treatment works against cancer.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- vancomycin (antibiotic) and precision radiation
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a way to improve radiation therapy for lung cancer by using an antibiotic to boost the immune response.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small Phase 1 safety trial with only 10 people. It is designed to check for side effects like severe diarrhea, not to prove the treatment works. The antibiotic may cause gut issues or other complications.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Pennsylvania
RECRUITINGPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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