Tracking T-Cell Responses to Evaluate Pembrolizumab Effectiveness in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

T-Cell Repertoire Sequencing: Assessing Pembrolizumab Efficacy in Advanced Non-Small Lung Cancer

This study includes patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) - either unresectable stage III or stage IV adenocarcinoma without actionable driver mutations - who are treated with pembrolizumab in combination with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy, irrespective of PD-L1 expression levels.

The primary objective is to assess treatment response through integration of serial T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire sequencing (Rep-seq), capturing longitudinal changes in T-cell clonality and diversity. These immune dynamics will be correlated with radiographic response assessed by RECIST 1.1, with the aim of improving the accuracy of response classification, including differentiation between progression, pseudo-progression, and hyperprogression.

Additionally, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels will be measured longitudinally (pre-treatment and during treatment) to evaluate their potential as a complementary biomarker of disease burden and treatment efficacy in the context of chemo-immunotherapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histologically confirmed diagnosis of NSCLC adenocarcinoma stage IV or unresectable stage III.
• Have measurable disease based on RECIST 1.1.
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 to 1.
• Adequate organ function.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Aberration in one or more of molecular drivers.
• Has received prior systemic anti-cancer therapy prior to allocation.
• Known active CNS metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis.
• Known additional malignancy.