New PET scan tracer could light up hidden lung cancers

NCT ID NCT04199741

Recruiting now Diagnosis Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study tests a new radioactive tracer called 89Zr-DFO-SC16.56 that attaches to a protein called DLL3 found on small cell lung cancer cells. The goal is to see if PET scans using this tracer can safely and accurately show where the cancer is in the body. About 53 adults with small cell lung cancer will receive an injection of the tracer and then have PET/CT scans to measure how it spreads and how safe it is.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: 89Zr-DFO-SC16.56 (a radioactive tracer that targets DLL3 on cancer cells)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could lead to a more precise way to see small cell lung cancer tumors using PET scans, helping doctors choose better treatments.
What could go wrong: This is an early-phase trial with only 53 participants, so the imaging method may not work as well in larger groups or for all patients. There are also risks from radiation exposure.

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.

small cell lung carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER SMALL CELL LUNG CARCINOMA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
RECRUITING

New York, New York, 10065, United States

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