New Treatments & Clinical Trials for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, but treatment has changed dramatically in the past decade. Targeted therapies now work for many tumors driven by specific genetic mutations, and immunotherapy has extended survival for others. Five-year survival has improved, though outcomes still vary widely by stage and tumor type.

What's actually going on in research

Trials are testing new KRAS inhibitors for previously hard-to-treat mutations, antibody-drug conjugates that deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, and combinations of immunotherapy with targeted drugs. Researchers are also studying blood tests that detect cancer early, ways to prevent resistance to current drugs, and treatments for brain metastases that develop in many lung cancer patients.

What to know before you search

Eligibility typically depends on cancer type (non-small cell vs. small cell), stage, prior treatments, specific mutations or biomarkers, and smoking history.

What types of trials are currently open

• Targeted therapy trials — Testing drugs for specific mutations like EGFR, ALK, ROS1, KRAS, and others. These trials usually require a tumor biopsy showing the mutation.
• Immunotherapy trials — Testing checkpoint inhibitors like pembrolizumab and nivolumab, often in combination with chemotherapy or other immune drugs.
• Combination trials — Testing whether combining targeted therapy with immunotherapy works better than either alone, especially for tumors with both a mutation and high PD-L1 expression.
• Early-stage trials — Testing whether giving immunotherapy or targeted therapy before or after surgery improves cure rates for early lung cancer.
• Prevention trials — Studies in high-risk people, often long-time smokers, testing drugs or screening methods that might prevent lung cancer or find it earlier.