A Phase 3 interventional study of Biospecimen Collection and Carboplatin in Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Lung Non-Small Cell Squamous Carcinoma and Lung Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI). Recruiting at 1,151 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.
Sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI) · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment
This phase III ALCHEMIST treatment trial tests the addition of pembrolizumab to usual chemotherapy for the treatment of stage IIA, IIB, IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer that has been removed by surgery. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, pemetrexed, carboplatin, gemcitabine hydrochloride, and paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving pembrolizumab with usual chemotherapy may help increase survival times in patients with stage IIA, IIB, IIIA or IIIB non-small cell lung cancer.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To compare the disease free survival (DFS) between Arm B versus (vs) Arm C in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To compare the overall survival (OS) between the two treatment arms in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer.
II. To compare the adverse event rates and drug discontinuation rates due to adverse events in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer.
III. To compare the adverse event (AE) rates for Arms B and C with A (prior to Update #7) and estimate the DFS and OS in Arm A.
IV. To compare the DFS and OS in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer that receive at least 2 cycles of initial adjuvant chemotherapy.
QUALITY OF LIFE OBJECTIVES:
I. To compare patient-reported quality of life (QOL) one year after randomization as assessed by the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-Core (C)30 between patients randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab (Arm B), and those randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy + pembrolizumab concomitantly (Arm C).
II. To compare patient-reported QOL at completion of chemotherapy as assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 between patients randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab (Arm B) and those randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy + pembrolizumab concomitantly (Arm C).
III. To present longitudinal trajectories by arm of patient-reported dyspnea and coughing as assessed by the EORTC QLQ-Lung Cancer (LC13).
CORRELATIVE SCIENCE OBJECTIVES:
I. To compare the DFS and OS in the PD-L1 subgroup of patients with PD-L1 expression status (>= 1% vs \< 1%).
II. To compare the DFS and OS by tumor mutational burden status (high vs. low) in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM A (CLOSED AS OF UPDATE #7 on 2/1/2022):
INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens* based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then undergo observation.
ARM B:
INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens* based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then receive pembrolizumab intravenously (IV) over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 17 cycles or every 6 weeks for 16 cycles (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
ARM C:
INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens* based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle and pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle or for cycles 1 and 3 (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020). Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 13 cycles or every 6 weeks for 12 cycles (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Patients also undergo echocardiogram (ECHO) as clinically indicated during screening and on the trial. Patients may undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during screening and as clinically indicated on the trial, as well as computed tomography (CT) and blood sample collection throughout the trial.
*ACCEPTABLE REGIMENS: DOUBLET I: Patients receive cisplatin IV and pemetrexed IV over 10 minutes on day 1 of each cycle.
DOUBLET II: Patients receive carboplatin IV over and pemetrexed IV over 10 minutes on day 1 of each cycle.
DOUBLET III: Patients receive cisplatin IV on day 1 of each cycle and gemcitabine hydrochloride IV on days 1 and 8 of each cycle.
DOUBLET IV: Patients receive carboplatin IV and paclitaxel IV over 1-96 hours on day 1 of each cycle.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 6 weeks, then every 3 months for 2 years from randomization, every 6 months for years 2-4 from randomization, and then annually for up to 10 years from randomization.
7,620 studies on the registry are indexed under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; 1,838 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 1,210 is above the median of 62 across 6,019 interventional studies indexed under Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung.
Browse Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung studies →National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the lead sponsor of 3,556 studies on the registry; 336 are open to participants now.
Of its 411 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 373 (91%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Inclusion Criteria:
A female of is a sexually mature female who:
Completely resected stage IIA, IIB IIIA or IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (squamous or non-squamous) with negative margins (complete R0 resection). Patients will be staged according to the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual, 2017
Not pregnant and not nursing, because this study involves an agent that has known genotoxic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).
PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are proteins that act as brakes on the immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab or nivolumab, block them so the immune system can attack a cancer.
PD-L1 can also be measured in a tumour sample. Some scores count stained tumour cells only (TPS); others also count certain immune cells (CPS). The study names the score and the minimum it uses.
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.
It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Postmenopausal
Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
PD-1, PD-L1 and checkpoint inhibitors
PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are proteins that act as brakes on the immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab or nivolumab, block them so the immune system can attack a cancer.
PD-L1 can also be measured in a tumour sample. Some scores count stained tumour cells only (TPS); others also count certain immune cells (CPS). The study names the score and the minimum it uses.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Adjuvant and neoadjuvant
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ECOG performance status
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Excipients
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Live vaccines
Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis C tests
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)
The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.
It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Platelets
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hemoglobin (Hb)
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Creatinine clearance (CrCl)
How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Bilirubin
A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.
Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ULN (upper limit of normal)
The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.
“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ALT and AST (liver enzymes)
Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.
Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then undergo observation. Patients also undergo ECHO as clinically indicated during screening and on the trial. Patients may undergo MRI during screening and as clinically indicated on the trial, as well as CT and blood sample collection throughout the trial. (CLOSED AS OF UPDATE #7)
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection · Drug: Carboplatin · Drug: Cisplatin · Procedure: Computed Tomography · Procedure: Echocardiography Test · Drug: Gemcitabine Hydrochloride · Procedure: Magnetic Resonance Imaging · Other: Observation Activity · Drug: Paclitaxel · Drug: Pemetrexed Disodium · Other: Questionnaire Administration
INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens\* based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle and pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle or for cycles 1 and 3 (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020). Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 13 cycles or every 6 weeks for 12 cycles (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo ECHO as clinically indicated during screening and on the trial. Patients may undergo MRI during screening and as clinically indicated on the trial, as well as CT and blood sample collection throughout the trial.
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection · Drug: Carboplatin · Drug: Cisplatin · Procedure: Computed Tomography · Procedure: Echocardiography Test · Drug: Gemcitabine Hydrochloride · Procedure: Magnetic Resonance Imaging · Drug: Paclitaxel · Biological: Pembrolizumab · Drug: Pemetrexed Disodium · Other: Questionnaire Administration
INITIAL THERAPY: Patients receive 1 of 4 platinum doublet regimens\* based on the treating physician's choice of each cycle and pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle or for cycles 1 and 3 (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020). Treatment repeats every 21 days for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. CONTINUANCE THERAPY: Patients then receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Treatment repeats every 21 days for 13 cycles or every 6 weeks for 12 cycles (patients enrolled after 10/14/2020) in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo ECHO as clinically indicated during screening and on the trial. Patients may undergo a MRI during screening and as clinically indicated on the trial, as well as CT and blood sample collection throughout the trial.
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection · Drug: Carboplatin · Drug: Cisplatin · Procedure: Computed Tomography · Procedure: Echocardiography Test · Drug: Gemcitabine Hydrochloride · Procedure: Magnetic Resonance Imaging · Drug: Paclitaxel · Biological: Pembrolizumab · Drug: Pemetrexed Disodium · Other: Questionnaire Administration
Undergo blood sample collection
Also known as: Biological Sample Collection, Biospecimen Collected, Sample Collection, Specimen Collection
Given IV
Also known as: Blastocarb, Carboplat, Carboplatin Hexal, Carboplatino, Carboplatinum, Carbosin, Carbosol, Carbotec, CBDCA, Displata, Ercar, JM-8, JM8, Nealorin, Novoplatinum, Paraplatin, Paraplatin AQ, Paraplatine, Platinwas, Ribocarbo
Given IV
Also known as: Abiplatin, Blastolem, Briplatin, CDDP, Cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum, Cis-diamminedichloridoplatinum, Cis-diamminedichloro Platinum (II), Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum, Cis-dichloroammine Platinum (II), Cis-platinous Diamine Dichloride, Cis-platinum, Cis-platinum II, Cis-platinum II Diamine Dichloride, Cismaplat, Cisplatina, Cisplatinum, Cisplatyl, Citoplatino, Citosin, Cysplatyna, DDP, Lederplatin, Metaplatin, Neoplatin, Peyrone's Chloride, Peyrone's Salt, Placis, Plastistil, Platamine, Platiblastin, Platiblastin-S, Platinex, Platinol, Platinol- AQ, Platinol-AQ, Platinol-AQ VHA Plus, Platinoxan, Platinum, Platinum Diamminodichloride, Platiran, Platistin, Platosin
Undergo CT
Also known as: CAT, CAT Scan, Computed Axial Tomography, Computerized Axial Tomography, Computerized axial tomography (procedure), Computerized Tomography, Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, CT, CT Scan, Diagnostic CAT Scan, Diagnostic CAT Scan Service Type, tomography
Undergo ECHO
Also known as: EC, Echocardiography
Given IV
Also known as: dFdCyd, Difluorodeoxycytidine Hydrochloride, Gemcitabine HCI, Gemzar, LY 188011, LY-188011, LY188011
Undergo MRI
Also known as: Magnetic Resonance, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Magnetic resonance imaging (procedure), Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan, Medical Imaging, Magnetic Resonance / Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, MR, MR Imaging, MRI, MRI Scan, MRIs, NMR Imaging, NMRI, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging, sMRI, Structural MRI
Undergo observation
Also known as: Observation
Given IV
Also known as: Anzatax, Asotax, Bristaxol, Praxel, Taxol, Taxol Konzentrat
Given IV
Also known as: BCD-201, GME 751, GME751, Keytruda, Lambrolizumab, MK 3475, MK-3475, MK3475, Pembrolizumab Biosimilar BCD-201, Pembrolizumab Biosimilar GME751, Pembrolizumab Biosimilar QL2107, Pembrolizumab Biosimilar RPH-075, Pembrolizumab Biosimilar SB27, QL2107, RPH 075, RPH-075, RPH075, SB 27, SB-27, SB27, SCH 900475, SCH-900475, SCH900475
Given IV
Also known as: Alimta, Almita, LY231514, N-[4-[2-(2-Amino-4,7-dihydro-4-oxo-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)ethyl]benzoyl]-L-glutamic Acid Disodium Salt
Ancillary studies
Disease free survival (DFS)
Will compare DFS between the two arms (combination versus sequential pembrolizumab added to standard of care platinum-based adjuvant therapy) in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer. Will be estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, where the stratified log-rank test (using the central PD-L1 result for the PD-L1 expression status) will be used to compare the distributions across the treatment arms. DFS rates at 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years will also be reported, along with 95% confidence intervals. Univariable and multivariable Cox models stratified by the stratification factors (using the central PD-L1 result for the PD-L1 expression status) used in the randomization will be assessed as well.
Time frame: From randomization to the first of either disease recurrence or death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years after accrual completion
Overall survival (OS)
Will be estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, where the stratified log-rank test (using the central PD-L1 result for the PD-L1 expression status) will be used to compare the distributions across the treatment arms. OS rates at 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years will also be reported, along with 95% confidence intervals. Univariable and multivariable Cox models stratified by the stratification factors (using the central PD-L1 result for the PD-L1 expression status) used in the randomization will be assessed as well.
Time frame: From randomization to death from any cause, assessed up to completion of 5 years follow-up
Incidence of adverse events
The maximum grade for each type of adverse event will be summarized using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5. will compare the adverse event rates and drug discontinuation rates due to adverse events. To evaluate the adverse events profiles associated with each treatment arm, the maximum grade for each type of adverse event will be recorded for each patient and frequency tables will be reviewed to determine the overall patterns. The number and severity of grade 3 + adverse events will be tabulated and summarized. Analysis of the overall adverse event rates, as well as specific events of interest will involve chi-square tests or Fisher's exact tests. In addition, we will also compute and compare the total adverse event burden for each arm
Time frame: Up to 10 years
DFS between each of the arms
Will compare the DFS by PD-L1 expression status (tumor proportion score \[TPS\] ≥ 50% versus \[vs\] TPS \< 50% using the central PD-L1 expression status) in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer. This will be assessed using the treatment arm by PD-L1 expression status (using the central PD-L1 expression status) interaction effect on DFS. Univariable and multivariable Cox models stratified by the stratification factors used in the randomization will be used as the primary analytical method, where all baseline covariates will be considered in the univariable models and subsequently in the multivariable models based on the criteria for selection for the multivariable models. Similar analyses will be performed for the correlative endpoints using the cut off of 1% for the PD-L1 expression status (using the central PD-L1 expression status), and tumor mutational burden (high vs low).
Time frame: From randomization to the first of either disease recurrence or death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years after accrual completion
OS between each of the arms
will compare the OS by PD-L1 expression status (TPS ≥ 50% vs TPS \< 50% using the central PD-L1 expression status) in patients with stage IIA-IIIB (T3-4N2) non-small cell lung cancer. This will be assessed using the treatment arm by PD-L1 expression status (using the central PD-L1 expression status) interaction effect on OS. Univariable and multivariable Cox models stratified by the stratification factors used in the randomization will be used as the primary analytical method, where all baseline covariates will be considered in the univariable models and subsequently in the multivariable models based on the criteria for selection for the multivariable models. Similar analyses will be performed for the correlative endpoints using the cut off of 1% for the PD-L1 expression status (using the central PD-L1 expression status), and tumor mutational burden (high vs low).
Time frame: From randomization to death from any cause, assessed up to completion of 5 years of follow-up
Patient-reported quality of life (QOL)
Assessed by the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-Core (C)30 between patients randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab (Arm B), and those randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy + pembrolizumab concomitantly (Arm C). All questionnaires will be scored according to published scoring algorithms, including recommendations for addressing missing items within a scale. Will be summarized descriptively for patients randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy + observation (Arm A). Correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis will be used to examine whether baseline patient characteristics and prognostic factors predict missingness.
Time frame: Up to 1 year after randomization
Patient-reported QOL
Assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 between patients randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab (Arm B) and those randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy + pembrolizumab concomitantly (Arm C).All questionnaires will be scored according to published scoring algorithms, including recommendations for addressing missing items within a scale. Will be summarized descriptively for patients randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy + observation (Arm A). Correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis will be used to examine whether baseline patient characteristics and prognostic factors predict missingness.
Time frame: Up to completion of chemotherapy
Patient-reported dyspnea and coughing
Assessed by the EORTC QLQ-Lung Cancer 13. All questionnaires will be scored according to published scoring algorithms, including recommendations for addressing missing items within a scale. All questionnaires will be scored according to published scoring algorithms, including recommendations for addressing missing items within a scale. Will be summarized descriptively for patients randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy + observation (Arm A). Correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis will be used to examine whether baseline patient characteristics and prognostic factors predict missingness.
Time frame: Up to 2 years after randomization
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Showing the first 100 of 1,151 sites across 2 countries. Choose a country and city above to see the rest.
Plan to share: Yes — NCI is committed to sharing data in accordance with NIH policy. For more details on how clinical trial data is shared, access the link to the NIH data sharing policy page.
Data sharing details ↗ · grants.nih.gov
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
No contact was published for this record. The registry link below has the sponsor’s details.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Pembrolizumab
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung →
National Cancer Institute (NCI) →