New combo therapy shows promise for lung cancer patients without chemo
NCT ID NCT03523702
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This phase 2 trial tested a combination of the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab and a personalized 4-week course of radiotherapy in 25 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors had high PD-L1 levels. The goal was to see if this approach could control the cancer better than standard chemo-radiotherapy. The study measured how long patients lived without their cancer getting worse and whether the cancer spread to other parts of the body.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
pembrolizumab (immunotherapy drug) plus radiotherapy
What this could lead to
If successful, this could offer a chemotherapy-free treatment option for certain lung cancer patients with high PD-L1 levels.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase trial with only 25 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The treatment is not a cure and disease progression or side effects remain possible.
Disclaimer
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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.
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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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Montefiore Medical Center
The Bronx, New York, 10467, United States