Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for about 85% of lung cancers. Treatment depends heavily on stage and molecular profile — whether the tumor has specific mutations like EGFR, ALK, or KRAS. Early-stage disease is often treated with surgery, while advanced disease now frequently involves targeted pills or immunotherapy that can keep cancer controlled for months or years.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing new targeted therapies for specific mutations, combinations of immunotherapy drugs, antibody-drug conjugates that deliver chemotherapy directly to cancer cells, and earlier use of immunotherapy around the time of surgery. Researchers are also studying blood tests that detect cancer DNA to catch recurrence early and guide treatment decisions.
KRAS G12C inhibitors
KRAS mutations were long considered untreatable, but drugs like sotorasib and adagrasib now block the G12C variant. Trials are testing them earlier in treatment and in combination with other drugs.
Perioperative immunotherapy
Giving immunotherapy before and after surgery appears to reduce recurrence in earlier-stage disease. FDA approved pembrolizumab for this use in 2023, and trials are refining which patients benefit most.
Antibody-drug conjugates
These drugs attach chemotherapy to an antibody that seeks out cancer cells, sparing healthy tissue. Several are in late-stage trials for lung cancer with specific markers like HER2.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on cancer stage, specific mutations identified by tumor testing, prior treatments received, and overall health status measured by performance score.
What types of trials are currently open
- Targeted therapy trials — Testing new pills for specific mutations like EGFR, ALK, ROS1, MET, or RET. Many focus on cancers that have stopped responding to earlier targeted drugs.
- Immunotherapy trials — Testing drugs that help the immune system recognize cancer, often pembrolizumab, nivolumab, or atezolizumab, alone or in combinations.
- Combination trials — Testing immunotherapy plus chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or other immunotherapy drugs to see if combinations work better than single agents.
- Early detection trials — Studying blood tests that detect cancer DNA to find recurrence early or monitor treatment response.
- Surgical trials — Testing whether adding immunotherapy or targeted therapy before or after surgery improves outcomes in earlier-stage disease.
Recently added Non-small Cell Lung Cancer trials
Nurse-Led Caregiver Support for Older Adults With Advanced Lung Cancer
This two-phase study aims to examine the current status of older adults with newly diagnosed locally advanced or advanced non-small cell lung cancer and their primary family caregivers, and to evaluate the effects of the Integrating Nurse-Led and Resource Utilization-Based Caregiver Support Model (ICSM). Phase I is a cross-sectional correlational study assessing distress, unmet care needs, resource awareness and utilization, social support, and health promotion practice. Phase II is a two-group randomized controlled trial comparing ICSM plus oncology case manager care with oncology case manager care and usual hospital care. The intervention includes nurse-led education and counseling, symptom management, emotional coping, problem-solving, social resource use, caregiving activity arrangement, and use of a web-based or LINE-based integrated resource system.
Pralsetinib DDI Study in Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Solid Tumors
An open-label drug-drug interaction study to evaluate the effects of pralsetinib (Gavreto) on the pharmacokinetics of a CYP450 probe substrate cocktail and, in female participants, a hormonal probe substrate, in participants with rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion- or mutation-positive solid tumors
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