Recruiting

Surgery with or without chemotherapy for early-stage lung cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT03351842 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated December 2017 · Translation generated August 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing whether patients with stage I lung adenocarcinoma who have had surgery should receive additional chemotherapy using cisplatin and pemetrexed disodium. Researchers believe this specific type of lung cancer may respond well to this medication, and they want to see if adding it after surgery improves survival. Half of the patients will receive only surgery and monitoring, while the other half will receive surgery followed by four rounds of this chemotherapy treatment.

Certain types of early-stage lung cancer have a growth pattern that seems to respond well to chemotherapy, but doctors aren't yet sure if giving this treatment to all patients with this pattern actually helps them live longer or stay cancer-free longer.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with stage I lung adenocarcinoma with a specific growth pattern (micropapillary component ≥20%) that has been completely removed by surgery
you can be enrolled in the study within 4 weeks after your surgery
you have not received chemotherapy or radiation therapy before for lung cancer
you are healthy enough for treatment (performance status 0 or 1)
you have normal blood counts, liver function, and kidney function as measured by lab tests

You likely don't qualify if…

you have cancer that has spread to distant parts of your body
you have had other cancers in the past 5 years
you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or unwilling to use contraception
you have a severe allergy to folic acid, dexamethasone, or vitamin B12
you have serious heart or lung disease, or active infections that are hard to control

What participation looks like

If you join this trial, you will first have surgery to remove your lung cancer. Then you will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: either you will simply be monitored with regular follow-up visits and phone calls, or you will receive four rounds of chemotherapy (one treatment every 3 weeks, starting about 1 month after surgery). Researchers will track your health and cancer status over time to see which approach helps people live longer and stay cancer-free.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Aug 26, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

China

Thoracic Surgery Department of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Shanghai