Testing immune-boosting treatment after surgery for early lung cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT06498635 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated July 2026 · Translation generated July 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 3 — Testing in thousands of people, comparing the treatment against what doctors currently use. This is the last big step before approval.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing whether , an immune-boosting medication, can help prevent lung cancer from coming back in people who had surgery and initial chemotherapy-plus-immunotherapy treatment, and whose tumors completely disappeared. Half of participants will receive the medication for one year after surgery, and half will be closely watched without additional treatment, so doctors can see which approach works better.

Even when surgery and chemotherapy seem to work well and eliminate all visible cancer, the disease sometimes comes back. Researchers want to see if giving this additional immune-boosting treatment can help keep cancer from returning and help people live longer.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with stage II, IIIA, or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer
you had surgery to remove your lung cancer within the past 12 weeks
you had no cancer cells remaining in your surgical specimen (complete response)
you received at least two cycles of chemotherapy combined with immune therapy before surgery
you are at least 18 years old and in generally stable health

You likely don't qualify if…

you have certain genetic mutations in your cancer (EGFR or ALK)
you have had severe or ongoing side effects from your previous immune therapy treatments
you are currently taking other cancer medications or have taken them in the past 4 weeks
you had radiation therapy to your chest after surgery
you have serious heart, kidney, or liver problems that would make this medication unsafe

What participation looks like

If you join, you'll be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group receives the immune-boosting medication as an intravenous infusion every 4 weeks for up to one year, while the other group has close monitoring with regular scans and blood tests but no additional medication. Both groups will have CT scans and blood draws throughout the year-long study to check on your health and watch for any signs of cancer returning.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jul 3, 2026 · Not medical advice

Testing immune-boosting treatment after surgery for early lung cancer

What is this trial?

Do you qualify?

What participation looks like

Trial locations(271 sites)