Trial Watch: Testing the Timing of Pembrolizumab Alone or With Chemotherapy as First Line Treatment and Maintenance in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
Important context
- Trial eligibility (participation has strict criteria): Clinical-trial participation has study-specific eligibility criteria; registry listing does not mean a person qualifies or should enroll.
In plain English
The 30-second version
What happened?
ClinicalTrials.gov confirms that this Phase 3 study is registered and currently listed as Active Not Recruiting. This establishes the study's existence and registry-reported design/status, not a treatment benefit.
Why does it matter?
Phase 3 trials can contribute later-stage human evidence. CancerDiscoveries can track this record as results and regulatory information emerge.
What does this not prove?
A registered trial is not proof that the intervention works, is not FDA approval for this cancer or use, and is not a clinical-guideline recommendation.
Keep reading for evidence stage, limitations, study details, and sources.
What changed: ClinicalTrials.gov lists Testing the Timing of Pembrolizumab Alone or With Chemotherapy as First Line Treatment and Maintenance in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NCT03793179) as a Phase 3 interventional cancer study. The registry status is Active Not Recruiting, with the record last updated 2026-10-26.
Study snapshot: Phase 3; Active Not Recruiting; planned enrollment 600. Conditions listed: Lung Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Stage IIIB Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IIIC Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8. A primary outcome listed by the registry is: Overall survival (OS).
This entry tracks verified trial-registry facts. Trial registration by itself does not show that an intervention is effective, safe for a particular person, FDA-approved for this use, or recommended by clinical guidelines.
Population / Applicability
Studied in: Participants age 18 Years and older with Lung Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Stage IIIB Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IIIC Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8 who meet the study-specific registry eligibility criteria. (Adults)
Eligibility is study-specific. Registry information does not determine whether any individual should enroll in or receive the intervention.
Full evidence details
- Study design
- Other / not applicable
- Sample size
- 600
- Primary outcome
- Overall survival (OS)
- Replication
- Unknown
Funding & Conflicts
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the lead sponsor as National Cancer Institute (NCI). Sponsorship is reported for transparency and does not establish efficacy.
Regulatory status by jurisdiction
Unspecified jurisdiction
- Status
- Investigational
- Last verified
- 2026-10-26
Cancer-type scope for this record is not yet recorded.
Guideline positions
Guideline
- Position
- Not addressed
- Last verified
- 2026-10-26
Primary evidence supporting this story
- ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT03793179 (opens in a new tab) (Clinical-trial registry) NCT03793179 Primary source NCT03793179
ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT03793179. NCT03793179.
Last reviewed
Trial Watch: Testing the Timing of Pembrolizumab Alone or With Chemotherapy as First Line Treatment and Maintenance in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
https://cancerdiscoveries.com/discoveries/trial-watch-testing-the-timing-of-pembrolizumab-alone-or-with-chemotherapy-as-first-line-treatment-and-maintenance-in-non-small-cell-lung-cancer/
Research type: Later-Stage Human
What This Means
ClinicalTrials.gov confirms that this Phase 3 study is registered and currently listed as Active Not Recruiting. This establishes the study's existence and registry-reported design/status, not a treatment benefit.
What This Doesn't Mean
A registered trial is not proof that the intervention works, is not FDA approval for this cancer or use, and is not a clinical-guideline recommendation.
Why It Matters
Phase 3 trials can contribute later-stage human evidence. CancerDiscoveries can track this record as results and regulatory information emerge.
Important Limitations
- Clinical-trial participation has study-specific eligibility criteria; registry listing does not mean a person qualifies or should enroll.
Primary sources
- ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT03793179 — https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03793179 (NCT03793179)
Date verified: 2026-10-26
Correction status: No correction or retraction