~38 spots leftby Apr 2026

Pembrolizumab for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
+12 other locations
Gregory A. Durm, MD | IU Health
Overseen byGreg Durm
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Travel: May Be Covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Phase 2
Recruiting
Sponsor: Greg Durm, MD
Must not be taking: Immunosuppressants, Steroids
Disqualifiers: Active malignancy, Autoimmune disease, others
Stay on Your Current Meds
No Placebo Group
Prior Safety Data
Breakthrough Therapy
Approved in 3 Jurisdictions

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

A randomized trial of adjuvant Pembrolizumab following surgical resection versus observation following surgical resection in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with primary tumors between 1-4 cm. Patients will be randomized (1:1) 4-12 weeks following surgery to either: * Arm A: Pembrolizumab 400 mg every 6 weeks × 9 cycles * Arm B: Observation Stratification factors will include: PD-L1 TPS (\<50% vs. ≥50%), and tumor size (1-2 cm vs. \>2-4 cm)

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you are on chronic systemic steroid therapy or immunosuppressive therapy, you may need to stop or adjust these medications before participating. It's best to discuss your specific medications with the trial team.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug pembrolizumab for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer?

Pembrolizumab has shown promise in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by improving survival rates in patients with advanced stages of the disease, as seen in trials like KEYNOTE-024 and KEYNOTE-010. Additionally, early-phase trials and studies have indicated that pembrolizumab is effective and well-tolerated in various solid tumors, including NSCLC.12345

Is pembrolizumab (Keytruda) generally safe for humans?

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has been used in various clinical trials and is generally considered safe, but it can cause side effects. Common side effects include fatigue, cough, nausea, and rash, while more serious immune-related side effects like pneumonitis (lung inflammation) can occur in a small percentage of patients.34567

How is the drug pembrolizumab unique for treating early-stage non-small cell lung cancer?

Pembrolizumab is unique because it is an immunotherapy drug that works by blocking a protein called PD-1, which helps the immune system attack cancer cells. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, it is used before surgery to potentially shrink tumors in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.23458

Research Team

Gregory A. Durm, MD | IU Health

Greg Durm

Principal Investigator

Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria

Adults over 18 who've had surgery to remove stage I NSCLC with tumors between 1-4 cm and are in good health can join. They must not be pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to conceive soon. People with certain genetic mutations, previous cancer treatments, active infections like TB or hepatitis, other cancers within the last 3 years, severe allergies to pembrolizumab ingredients, recent live vaccines, autoimmune diseases needing treatment in the past two years or organ transplants cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

Patients must have undergone complete surgical resection of their stage I NSCLC between 4-12 weeks prior to registration and have negative surgical margins (R0). NOTE: Both squamous and non-squamous histologies are allowed into the study. Cancers with a histology of 'adenosquamous' are considered a type of adenocarcinoma and thus 'non-squamous histology'. NOTE: Staging will be according to the AJCC 8th edition. Pathological tumor size must be 1.0 - 4.0 cm in greatest dimension. NOTE: According to AJCC 8th edition, subjects with lepidic predominant adenocarcinoma should be staged based on their invasive tumor size and not their total tumor size (i.e., subjects with lepidic predominant tumors whose invasive tumor size is less than 1 cm are not eligible, even if their total tumor size is 1.0 cm or greater). Surgery for this lung cancer must be completed at least 28 days prior to registration. Must have either previous NGS and PD-L1 results available using the Dako 22C3 antibody or have archival tissue of surgical specimen from current diagnosis available to perform analyses. If prior PD-L1 results with Dako 22C3 antibody are not available from a CLIA-accredited laboratory, subjects must be able to provide 5 x 5µm unstained slides for prospective analysis to be used for stratification. If NGS results are not available, subjects must be able to provide at least 10 x 10µm unstained and 1 x 4µm H&E slides from current diagnosis for future NGS and/or other genetic analyses. Demonstrate adequate organ function as defined in the protocol; all screening labs to be obtained within 28 days prior to registration.
I am 18 years old or older.
I am not pregnant or breastfeeding, and if of childbearing age, I use effective birth control or practice abstinence.
See 2 more

Exclusion Criteria

I have not received a live vaccine within the last 30 days.
I have an active tuberculosis infection.
I have received chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy for my lung cancer.
See 16 more

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

4-12 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive Pembrolizumab 400 mg every 6 weeks for 9 cycles or are under observation

54 weeks
9 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for disease-free survival and overall survival

Up to 3 years

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Pembrolizumab (PD-1 Inhibitor)
Trial OverviewThe trial is testing if Pembrolizumab given every six weeks for nine cycles improves outcomes compared to just watching after surgery for lung cancer. Patients will be randomly assigned to either get the drug or go into observation. The groups are divided based on PD-L1 protein levels and tumor size.
Participant Groups
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Arm A- PembrolizumabExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Pembrolizumab 400mg IV every 6 weeks x 9 cycles
Group II: Arm B - ObservationActive Control1 Intervention
Observation only

Find a Clinic Near You

Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmond, VA
Moffit Cancer CenterTampa, FL
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New JerseyNew Brunswick, NJ
University of Nebraska Medical CenterOmaha, NE
More Trial Locations
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Greg Durm, MD

Lead Sponsor

Trials
4
Patients Recruited
390+

Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC

Industry Sponsor

Trials
4096
Patients Recruited
5,232,000+

Findings from Research

Pembrolizumab Shows Promise for NSCLC.[2015]
Perioperative outcomes of pulmonary resection after neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.Tong, BC., Gu, L., Wang, X., et al.[2022]
FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: First-Line Therapy and Beyond.Pai-Scherf, L., Blumenthal, GM., Li, H., et al.[2022]
Pembrolizumab for the treatment of thoracic malignancies: current landscape and future directions.Karim, S., Leighl, N.[2017]
In a phase II trial involving 15 patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), neoadjuvant treatment with pembrolizumab showed a major pathologic response in 27% of patients, indicating promising antitumor activity before surgery.
The treatment was found to be feasible and safe, with only 33% of patients experiencing moderate adverse events, and no postoperative mortality, suggesting that pembrolizumab does not compromise surgical outcomes.
Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience.Eichhorn, F., Klotz, LV., Kriegsmann, M., et al.[2022]
Recurrent and atypical immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced pneumonitis.Jeon, WJ., Nguyen, J., Castillo, DR., et al.[2023]
Pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) was approved by the FDA for treating advanced melanoma, showing an overall response rate of 24% in a trial of 89 patients, with 86% of responses lasting at least 6 months.
While there are potential immune-mediated side effects, the benefits of prolonged tumor response durations were deemed to outweigh these risks, marking an improvement over existing treatments.
FDA Approval Summary: Accelerated Approval of Pembrolizumab for Second-Line Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma.Chuk, MK., Chang, JT., Theoret, MR., et al.[2021]
Clinicopathologic correlates of first-line pembrolizumab effectiveness in patients with advanced NSCLC and a PD-L1 expression of ≥ 50.Cortellini, A., Tiseo, M., Banna, GL., et al.[2020]

References

Pembrolizumab Shows Promise for NSCLC. [2015]
Perioperative outcomes of pulmonary resection after neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. [2022]
FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: First-Line Therapy and Beyond. [2022]
Pembrolizumab for the treatment of thoracic malignancies: current landscape and future directions. [2017]
Neoadjuvant anti-programmed death-1 immunotherapy by pembrolizumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: First clinical experience. [2022]
Recurrent and atypical immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced pneumonitis. [2023]
FDA Approval Summary: Accelerated Approval of Pembrolizumab for Second-Line Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma. [2021]
Clinicopathologic correlates of first-line pembrolizumab effectiveness in patients with advanced NSCLC and a PD-L1 expression of ≥ 50. [2020]