Chemoimmunotherapy: Hope for Stage III Lung Cancer
- For patients with aggressive stage III non-small cell lung cancer deemed inoperable, a new study offers hope.
- The multicenter observational study, published in JAMA Oncology, analyzed data from 112 patients treated at cancer centers across the U.S.
- Following the treatment, 75% of the patients were able to undergo surgery.
New research demonstrates chemoimmunotherapy, combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy, can significantly shrink tumors in aggressive stage III non-small cell lung cancer, offering a potential breakthrough for a challenging disease. The study, published in JAMA Oncology, showed that this approach before surgery allowed 75% of patients to proceed with surgery, with one-third achieving complete tumor clearance. Notably, high PD-L1 levels correlated with improved outcomes, while certain genetic mutations didn’t benefit. Learn how this treatment strategy could provide new hope.News Directory 3 explores how this chemoimmunotherapy approach may change treatment decisions. Discover what’s next, including upcoming trials.
Chemoimmunotherapy Shows Promise for Aggressive Stage III lung Cancer
Updated June 27, 2025
For patients with aggressive stage III non-small cell lung cancer deemed inoperable, a new study offers hope. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found that combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy prior to surgery can shrink tumors, potentially making surgical removal possible.
The multicenter observational study, published in JAMA Oncology, analyzed data from 112 patients treated at cancer centers across the U.S. and Italy. The patients received chemoimmunotherapy, a combination of chemotherapy and an immune checkpoint inhibitor blocking PD-1 or PD-L1, according to the report.
Following the treatment, 75% of the patients were able to undergo surgery. Of those, one in three achieved complete tumor clearance. The treatment also significantly extended the time patients lived without cancer progression, especially in those with complete tumor clearance. Higher levels of PD-L1 in tumors correlated with better outcomes, while patients with KRAS and STK11 or KRAS and KEAP1 mutations did not benefit from the approach.
The findings suggest neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy could be a potential treatment strategy for carefully selected patients with borderline resectable or unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer, who typically have limited treatment options. The researchers emphasize the need for prospective, randomized trials to confirm these findings and identify the patients who would benefit most.
What’s next
Future research will focus on prospective, randomized trials to confirm these findings and define which patients benefit most from neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for aggressive stage III non-small cell lung cancer.