Immunotherapy after surgery may keep early lung cancer at bay

NCT ID NCT04317534

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

Summary

This study is for people with stage I non-small cell lung cancer who have had their tumor surgically removed. It compares receiving the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab every 6 weeks for about a year versus simply being watched (observation). The goal is to see if pembrolizumab can delay or prevent the cancer from coming back. About 244 participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups.

What this could mean

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

Active substance

pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug)

What this could lead to

If successful, this could offer a way to reduce the risk of cancer returning after surgery for early-stage lung cancer patients.

What could go wrong

This is a phase 2 trial with a moderate number of participants, so results are not definitive. Immunotherapy can cause immune-related side effects, and the benefit over observation 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.

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

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center

    RECRUITING

    Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Moffit Cancer Center

    RECRUITING

    Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

    RECRUITING

    Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Penn State Cancer Institute

    RECRUITING

    Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Providence Health & Services - Oregon

    RECRUITING

    Portland, Oregon, 97213, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

    RECRUITING

    New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Univeristy of Wisconsin

    RECRUITING

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • University of Illinois Cancer Center

    RECRUITING

    Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

    RECRUITING

    Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of Minnesota

    RECRUITING

    Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • University of Nebraska Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Omaha, Nebraska, 68198, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • University of Virginia Health System

    RECRUITING

    Charlottesville, Virginia, 22908, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Virginia Commonwealth University

    RECRUITING

    Richmond, Virginia, 23298, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact