Electric field therapy extends life in advanced lung cancer trial

NCT ID NCT02973789

Disease control Sponsor: NovoCure GmbH Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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

Summary

This phase 3 trial tested a portable device that creates electric fields to disrupt cancer cell division in 291 people with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer that had worsened after initial chemotherapy. Participants wore the device on their chest while continuing standard treatments like docetaxel or immunotherapy. The study measured whether adding the device helped people live longer compared to standard therapy alone.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 3

Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.

Participants

291 people

The number who actually took part.

Start date

Dec 2016

Finished

Oct 2024

Lead sponsor

A company

The lead sponsor is a pharmaceutical, biotech, or medical-device company.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

22 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. 22 years of age and older (some regional variations to inclusion age exist) 2. Life expectancy of ≥ 3 months 3. Histological diagnosis of squamous or non-squamous, inoperable, metastatic NSCLC 4. Diagnosis of radiological progression while on or after first platinum-based systemic therapy administered for advanced or metastatic disease. 1. Patients who received adjuvant or neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy (after surgery and/or radiation therapy) and developed metastatic disease within 6 months of completing therapy are eligible. 2. Patients with metastatic disease more than 6 months after adjuvant or neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy, who also subsequently progressed during or after a platinum- based regimen given to treat the advanced or metastatic disease, are eligible. 3. Patients should not receive any systemic therapy after platinum failure before enrollment into the study. Maintenance therapy after platinum based therapy and prior to progression is allowed. 5. ECOG Score of 0-2 6. Assigned by the physician to receive either docetaxel or immune checkpoint inhibitor per standard of care regimen 7. Able to operate the NovoTTF-200T device independently or with the help of a caregiver 8. Signed informed consent for the study protocol Exclusion Criteria: 1. Metastases to central nervous system (CNS) with clinical symptoms or evidence of new metastases to CNS during screening. Patients who previously received treatments for the metastases to CNS, are stable and meet the following requirements are allowed to be enrolled: 1. The patients are neurologically returned to baseline (except for residual signs or symptoms related to CNS treatment). 2. No treatment for the metastases to CNS during the screening period (e.g. surgery, radiotherapy, corticosteroid therapy- prednisone \> 10 mg/day or equivalent). 3. No progress in CNS lesions as indicated by MRI within 14 days prior to randomization. 4. No meningeal metastasis or spinal cord compression. 2. Patients planned to receive immune checkpoint inhibitor with contra-indications to receive immunotherapy 3. Patients planned to receive docetaxel with contra-indications to receive docetaxel 4. Severe comorbidities: 1. Clinically significant (as determined by the investigator) hematological, hepatic and renal dysfunction, defined as: Neutrophil count \< 1.5 x 10\^9/L and platelet count \< 100 x 10\^9/L; bilirubin \> 1.5 x ULN; AST and/or ALT \> 2.5 x ULN or \> 5 x ULN if patient has documented liver metastases; and serum creatinine \> 1.5 x ULN 2. History of significant cardiovascular disease unless the disease is well controlled. Significant cardiac disease includes second/third degree heart block; significant ischemic heart disease; poorly controlled hypertension; congestive heart failure of the New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II or worse (slight limitation of physical activity; comfortable at rest, but ordinary activity results in fatigue, palpitation or dyspnea) 3. History of arrhythmia that is symptomatic or requires treatment. Patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter controlled by medication are not excluded from participation in the trial 4. History of pericarditis 5. History of interstitial lung disease 6. History of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) within 6 months prior to randomization or that is not stable 7. Active infection or serious underlying medical condition that would impair the ability of the patient to received protocol therapy 8. History of any psychiatric condition that might impair patient's ability to understand or comply with the requirements of the study or to provide consent 9. Any other malignancy requiring anti-tumor treatment in the past three years, excluding treated stage I prostate cancer, in situ cervical cancer, in situ breast cancer and non-melanomatous skin cancer 5. Concurrent treatment with other experimental treatments for NSCLC while on the study 6. Implantable electronic medical devices (e.g. pacemaker, defibrillator) in the upper torso 7. Known allergies to medical adhesives or hydrogel 8. Pregnancy or breast-feeding (patients with reproductive potential must use effective contraception methods throughout the entire study period, as determined by their investigator/gynecologist) 9. Admitted to an institution by administrative or court order

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Vår säkerhetsrekommendation!

Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

lung cancer non-small cell lung carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Nonsmall cell lung cancer NSCLC

Contacts and locations

Locations

AH-HP Hôpital Saint Louis

Paris, France
ASL 3, Ospedale Villa Scassi

Genova, 16132, Italy
AZ Sint Maarten

Mechelen, 2800, Belgium
Adult Oncology Research

Orlando, Florida, 32806, United States
AdventHealth Orlando

Orlando, Florida, 32804, United States
Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Allan Blair Cancer Center

Regina, Saskatchewan, S4T 7T1, Canada
Associated Neurologists of Southern CT, P.C.

Fairfield, Connecticut, 06824, United States
BRCR Medical Center INC

Plantation, Florida, United States
Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center at North Colorado Medical Center

Greeley, Colorado, 80631, United States
Baylor Scott & White Health/McClinton Cancer Center

Waco, Texas, 76712, United States
Beijing Cancer Hospital

Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Beverly Hills Cancer Center

Beverly Hills, California, 90211, United States
Bezanijska kosa Clinical Hospital Center

Belgrade, 11080, Serbia
CHI Health Research Center

Omaha, Nebraska, 68124, United States
CHRISTUS Health

Shreveport, Louisiana, 71105, United States
CHU Caremeau Service de Pneumologie

Nîmes, 30029, France
California Cancer Associates for Research and Excellence, Inc. cCARE

Fresno, California, 93720, United States
Cancer Center at St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center

Phoenix, Arizona, 85004, United States
Central Alabama Research

Birmingham, Alabama, 35209, United States
Central Maine Medical Center

Lewiston, Maine, United States
Centre Hospitalier de Beauvais

Beauvais, 60021, France
Centre Hospitalier de Saint-Quentin Service de pneumologie

Saint-Quentin, 21000, France
Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l'Estrie - CHUS)

Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1H 5N4, Canada
Centrum Terapii Współczesnej

Lodz, Poland
Christus Health Spohn Ministry

Corpus Christi, Texas, 78404, United States
Clinical Hospital of Przemienienia Pańskiego UM in Poznaniu

Poznan, Poland
Clinical Oncology Associates

Farmington Hills, Michigan, 48336, United States
Clinique André Renard Herstal Oncologie

Herstal, 4040, Belgium
Complex Oncology Center (COC) - Plovdiv EOOD,

Plovdiv, 4004, Bulgaria
Dallas VA Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, 75216, United States
Detroit Clinical Research Center

Farmington Hills, Michigan, 48336, United States
Dignity Health - Mercy Cancer Centers

Sacramento, California, 95186, United States
Erasmus Mc

Rotterdam, 3015, Netherlands
Franciscan Health Indianapolis

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46237, United States
Geisinger Cancer Institute

Danville, Pennsylvania, 17822, United States
General University Hospital in Prague

Prague, Czechia
GenesisCare USA

Jacksonville, Florida, 32204, United States
Groupe Hospitalier Bretagne Sud

Lorient, 56100, France
HealthPartners Institute, Regions Cancer Care Center

Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55101, United States
Henan Cancer Hospital

Zhengzhou, Henan, 450003, China
Henan Provincial People's Hospital

Zhengzhou, Henan, 45003, China
Hospital Quirón Teknon, Instituto Oncológico Dr. Rosell

Barcelona, Spain
Hospital Regional Universitario Carlos Haya Medical Oncology Department

Málaga, Spain
Hospital Universitari i Politécnic La Fe

Valencia, Spain
Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre

Madrid, Spain
Hospital Universitario Arnau de Vilanova

Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Hospital Universitario Gregorio Marañón

Madrid, Spain
Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro

Madrid, Spain
Hospital Virgen de la Salud

Toledo, Toledo, 45071, Spain
Huntsman Cancer Institute/University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, United States
INSTITUT BERGONIE Centre Régional de Lutte Contre le Cancer

Bordeaux, France
IRCCS - Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST)

Meldola, Italy
Illinois CancerCare, P.C.

Peoria, Illinois, 61615, United States
Innovative Clinical Research Institute

Whittier, California, 90603, United States
Institut Jules Bordet - Department of Intensive Care and Thoracic Oncology

Brussels, 1000, Belgium
Ironwood Cancer & Research Center

Chandler, Arizona, 85224, United States
Kantonsspital Winterthur Tumorzentrum Winterthur

Winterthur, 8400, Switzerland
Karmanos Cancer Institute

Detroit, Michigan, 48201, United States
LSU Health Sciences Center -New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States
MS Clinsearch Specjalistyczny NZOZ

Lublin, Poland
McGill University Health Centre

Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada
Medical University Salzburg, State Hospital, University hospital for internal medicine III / PMU

Salzburg, 5020, Austria
Miami Cancer Institute

Miami, Florida, 33176, United States
Mount Sinai Medical Center

Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, United States
New York-Presbyterian/Queens Radiation Oncology

Flushing, New York, 11355, United States
Northern Westchester Hospital

Mount Kisco, New York, 10549-3417, United States
Norton Cancer Institute

Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, United States
Oncology Consultants, P.A.

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
Oncology Hematology West, PC dba Nebraska Cancer Specialists

Omaha, Nebraska, 68130, United States
Oncology Specialists of Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina, 28204, United States
OptumCare Cancer Care

Las Vegas, Nevada, 89102, United States
Overlake Medical Center & Clinics

Bellevue, Washington, 98004, United States
PKUCare Luzhong Hospital

Zibo, Shandong, 250014, China
Piedmont Radiation Oncology, PA

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27103, United States
Presbyterian Cancer Center

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87110, United States
Queen Mary Hospital

Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Redlands Community Hospital (Emad Ibrahim, MD, Inc.)

Redlands, California, 92373, United States
Renown Regional Medical Center Institute for Cancer

Reno, Nevada, 89502, United States
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center

Laguna Hills, California, 92653, United States
Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

Ypsilanti, Michigan, 48197, United States
Saint Luke's Cancer Institute

Kansas City, Missouri, 64111, United States
Samodzielny Publiczny Wojewódzki Szpital Zespolony w Szczecinie

Szczecin, 70-891, Poland
Saronno Hospital

Saronno, 21047, Italy
Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 31000, China
Southern Illinois University, School of Medicine, Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU

Springfield, Illinois, 62702, United States
St Jansdal Ziekenhuis

Harderwijk, Netherlands
St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare

Fullerton, California, 92835, United States
Stony Brook Cancer Center

Stony Brook, New York, 11794, United States
Summa Health

Akron, Ohio, 44304, United States
Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center

Guangzhou, China
Sutter Institute for Medical Research

Sacramento, California, 95816, United States
Texas Oncology - Amarillo

Amarillo, Texas, 79106, United States
Texas Oncology - Arlington

Arlington, Texas, 76012, United States
Texas Oncology - Paris

Paris, Texas, 75460, United States
Texas Oncology- Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center

Dallas, Texas, 75246, United States
Texas Oncology- Plano West

Plano, Texas, 75093, United States
Texas Oncology-McKinney

McKinney, Texas, 75071, United States
Texas Oncology-Waco

Waco, Texas, 76712, United States
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Dallas, Texas, 75390, United States
Thomayerova Nemocnice Dept. of Pneumology

Prague, Czechia
Toledo Clinic Cancer Center

Toledo, Ohio, 43623, United States
Tolna County, Balassa Janos Hospital, Department of oncology

Szekszárd, 7100, Hungary
Tufts Medical Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology

Boston, Massachusetts, 02111, United States
Tulane Cancer Center

New Orleans, Louisiana, 70112, United States
UOC Oncologia Medica Presidio Ospedaliero di Ravenna AUSL della Romagna

Ravenna, Italy
UT/Erlanger Oncology & Hematology

Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37403, United States
UW Carbone Cancer Center

Madison, Wisconsin, 53792, United States
University Clinical Center Kragujevac

Kragujevac, 34000, Serbia
University Hospital Centre Zagreb

Zagreb, City of Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
University Medical Center, Inc; DBA University of Louisville

Louisville, Kentucky, 40202, United States
University of Illinois Cancer Center

Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States
University of Kansas Cancer Center

Westwood, Kansas, 66205, United States
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Universitätsklinikum Halle - Universitätsklinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin IV

Halle, Germany
Uniwersyteckie Centrum Kliniczne

Gdansk, Poland
Vita Medical Associates, P.C.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 18015, United States
Vitkovicka nemocnice

Vítkovice, Czechia
W.G. Bill Hefner VA Med Center

Salisbury, North Carolina, 28144, United States
Washington Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20010, United States
Washington University School of Medicine

St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
Zhejiang Cancer Hospital

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311000, China

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.