Summary
The study looked at how well chemoimmunotherapy (CIO), an established treatment option for resectable early non-small cell lung cancer (eNSCLC), worked in the real-world setting. Using machine learning, researchers assessed both neoadjuvant and adjuvant patients who had surgery for stage II-IIIA lung cancer between January 2020 and July 2023.
The study found that CIO use was associated with a favorable real-world distant metastasis free survival (rwDMFS), a measure of time to distant metastasis or death from first CIO treatment. Out of the 4,500+ patients who had surgery, about 1,000 received CIO treatment—and while CIO use increased from 2022 to 2023, still less than half of all patients studied received it.
Why this matters
This research showed despite differences in outcomes based on cancer type and stage, overall, CIO usage was associated with improving the chances of staying free of distant metastasis. However, the study also showed despite potential clinical benefit, study of factors influencing clinical adoption of CIO in eNSCLC is needed.