Nivolumab With or Without Ipilimumab or Chemotherapy in Treating Patients With Previously Untreated Stage I-IIIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

March 17, 2026 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Phase II Study of Induction Checkpoint Blockade for Untreated Stage I-IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers Amenable for Surgical Resection

This phase II trial studies how well nivolumab works when given alone and in combination with ipilimumab or chemotherapy in treating patients with previously untreated stage I-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, docetaxel, and pemetrexed, 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 nivolumab with ipilimumab or chemotherapy may work better in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer compared to chemotherapy alone.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine the major pathologic response rate (MPRR) in patients treated with induction nivolumab, nivolumab plus ipilimumab, and nivolumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Toxicity (assessed by the National Cancer Institute [NCI] Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] version 4).

II. Peri-operative morbidity and mortality. III. CD8 positive (+) tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in resected tumor tissues of patients treated with nivolumab alone and nivolumab plus ipilimumab and nivolumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy.

IV. Quantification of CD8+ TILs will be assessed by counting the cells positive for staining with an anti-CD8 antibody by immunohistochemistry in five random square areas (1 mm^2 each) in both intratumoral and peritumoral compartments using the automated Aperio system.

V. Response rates to induction treatment (by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors [RECIST] version 1.1).

VI. Recurrence-free survival. VII. Overall survival. VIII. To correlate major pathologic response with recurrence-free and overall survival.

IX. Complete resection (R0) rate. X. Pathologic complete response (pCR) in resected tumor specimens. XI. To correlate response assessed by imaging studies with outcomes (both major pathologic response to treatment and long-term recurrence-free survival).

XII. To correlate blood, tissue, and stool-based biomarkers with efficacy and toxicity.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. To identify novel prognostic and predictive markers present at diagnosis. II. To determine modulation of markers by induction immunotherapy and/or immunotherapy plus platinum-based chemotherapy in order to inform future translational studies.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to Arms A and B and enrolled in Arm C or D after completion of enrollment to Arms A and B.

ARM A: Patients receive nivolumab intravenously (IV) over 60 minutes on days 1, 15, and 29 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ARM B: Patients receive nivolumab as in Arm A and receive ipilimumab IV over 90 minutes on day 1 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ARM C: Patients receive nivolumab IV over 30 minutes and cisplatin IV over 2 hours on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour or pemetrexed IV over 10 minutes on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

ARM D: Patients receive ipilimumab IV over 90 minutes on day 1, nivolumab IV over 30 minutes on days 1, 22, and 43, and cisplatin (or carboplatin) IV over 2 hours on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour or pemetrexed IV over 10 minutes on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

After completion of study treatment and surgery, patients are followed up at 8 weeks.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

101

Phase

  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • M D Anderson Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Histologically or cytologically confirmed previously untreated non-small cell lung cancer. If a diagnostic biopsy is available, a pre-treatment biopsy is not required. Patients with a suspected lung cancer are eligible, but pathology must be confirmed prior to initiating treatment on study. Neuroendocrine carcinomas are not eligible. Carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation are eligible
  • Patients with stage IA or stage IB < 4 cm (according to American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] 7th edition) are eligible for randomization into arms A and B only. Patients with stage IB >= 4 cm, IIA, IIB, or IIIA disease (according to AJCC 7th edition) are eligible for randomization into arms A, and B, and for enrollment into arms C and D
  • Patients with stage IIIA must not have more than one mediastinal lymph node station involved by tumor
  • All patients must have lymph node evaluation of contralateral stations 2 and/or 4 to exclude N3 disease
  • The patient must be a suitable candidate for surgery, in the opinion of the treating physician
  • Signed and dated written informed consent must be provided by the patient prior to admission to the study in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) guidelines and to the local legislation
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score 0-1
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1.5 x 10^9/L
  • Hemoglobin >= 8.0 g/dL
  • Platelets >= 100 x 10^9/L
  • Total bilirubin =< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) (except subjects with Gilbert syndrome who can have total bilirubin < 3.0 mg/dL)
  • Creatinine =< 1.5 x ULN or calculated creatinine clearance >= 50 mL/min using Cockcroft-Gault formula for creatinine clearance calculation OR 24-hour urine creatinine clearance >= 50 mL/min

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior systemic therapy or radiation therapy for treatment of the current lung cancer
  • Currently receiving cancer therapy (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or biologic therapy) or investigational anti-cancer drug
  • Pregnant or lactating female: Women of childbearing potential (WOCB) must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of human chorionic gonadotropin [HCG]) within 72 hours prior to the start of nivolumab; Women of childbearing potential is defined as any female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy) or who is not postmenopausal. Menopause is defined clinically as 12 months of amenorrhea in a woman over 45 in the absence of other biological or physiological causes
  • Unwillingness or inability to follow the procedures required in the protocol
  • Patients with pre-existing sensorineural hearing impairment/loss or newly diagnosed as documented by an audiology assessment performed prior to study enrollment may not be eligible for cisplatin and may be dispositioned to carboplatin, as determined by the treating physician.
  • Patients with a history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to taxotere and or polysorbate 80 must be excluded
  • Any serious or uncontrolled medical disorder that, in the opinion of the investigator, may increase the risk associated with study participation or study drug administration, impair the ability of the subject to receive protocol therapy, or interfere with the interpretation of study results
  • Subjects with active, known or suspected autoimmune disease. Subjects with vitiligo, type I diabetes mellitus, residual hypothyroidism due to autoimmune condition only requiring hormone replacement, psoriasis not requiring systemic treatment, or conditions not expected to recur in the absence of an external trigger are permitted to enroll
  • Subjects with a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (> 10 mg daily prednisone equivalents) or other immunosuppressive medications within 14 days of study drug administration. Inhaled or topical steroids and adrenal replacement doses > 10 mg daily prednisone equivalents are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease. Subjects are permitted to use topical, ocular, intra-articular, intranasal, and inhalational corticosteroids (with minimal systemic absorption). Physiologic replacement doses of systemic corticosteroids are permitted, even if > 10 mg/day prednisone equivalents. A brief course of corticosteroids for prophylaxis (eg, contrast dye allergy) or for treatment of non-autoimmune conditions (eg, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction caused by contact allergen) is permitted
  • Prior treatment with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1 or anti-CTLA-4 antibody
  • Known positive test for hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBV sAg) or hepatitis C virus ribonucleic acid indicating acute or chronic infection
  • Known history of testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
  • History of severe hypersensitivity reaction to any monoclonal antibody and/or to study drug components
  • Serious illness or concomitant non-oncological disease such as neurologic, psychiatric, infectious disease or laboratory abnormality that may increase the risk associated with study participation or study drug administration and in the judgment of the investigator would make the patient inappropriate for entry into the study
  • Patients who are sexually active, with preserved reproductive capacity, and unwilling to use a medically acceptable method of contraception (e.g. such as implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some intrauterine devices or vasectomized partner for participating females, condoms for participating males) during and after the trial
  • Women of child bearing potential (WOCBP) should use an adequate method to avoid pregnancy for 23 weeks after the last dose of investigational drug(s); Men who are sexually active with WOCBP must use any contraceptive method with a failure rate of less than 1% per year; Men receiving nivolumab and who are sexually active with WOCBP will be instructed to adhere to contraception for a period of 31 weeks after the last dose of investigational product; Women who are not of childbearing potential as well as azoospermic men do not require contraception
  • Psychological, familial, sociological or geographical factors potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm A (nivolumab)
Participants receive nivolumab IV over 60 minutes on days 1, 15, and 29 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Given IV
Other Names:
  • BMS-936558
  • MDX-1106
  • NIVO
  • ONO-4538
  • Opdivo
Experimental: Arm B (nivolumab, ipilimumab)
Participants receive nivolumab as in Arm A and receive ipilimumab IV over 90 minutes on day 1 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Given IV
Other Names:
  • BMS-936558
  • MDX-1106
  • NIVO
  • ONO-4538
  • Opdivo
Given IV
Other Names:
  • Anti-Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen-4 Monoclonal Antibody
  • BMS-734016
  • Ipilimumab Biosimilar CS1002
  • MDX-010
  • MDX-CTLA4
  • Yervoy
Experimental: Arm C (nivolumab, cisplatin, docetaxel, pemetrexed)
Patients receive nivolumab IV over 30 minutes and cisplatin IV over 2 hours on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour or pemetrexed IV over 10 minutes on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Given IV
Other Names:
  • BMS-936558
  • MDX-1106
  • NIVO
  • ONO-4538
  • Opdivo
Given IV
Other Names:
  • CDDP
  • Cis-diamminedichloridoplatinum
  • Cismaplat
  • Cisplatinum
  • Neoplatin
  • Platinol
  • Abiplatin
  • Blastolem
  • Briplatin
  • Cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum
  • Cis-diamminedichloro Platinum (II)
  • Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum
  • Cis-dichloroammine Platinum (II)
  • Cis-platinous Diamine Dichloride
  • Cis-platinum
  • Cis-platinum II
  • Cis-platinum II Diamine Dichloride
  • Cisplatina
  • Cisplatyl
  • Citoplatino
  • Citosin
  • Cysplatyna
  • DDP
  • Lederplatin
  • Metaplatin
  • Placis
  • Plastistil
  • Platamine
  • Platiblastin
  • Platiblastin-S
  • Platinex
  • Platinol- AQ
  • Platinol-AQ
  • Platinol-AQ VHA Plus
  • Platinoxan
  • Platinum
  • Platinum Diamminodichloride
  • Platiran
  • Platistin
  • Platosin
  • Peyrone''s Chloride
  • Peyrone''s Salt
Given IV
Other Names:
  • Taxotere
  • Docecad
  • RP56976
  • Taxotere Injection Concentrate
Given IV
Other Names:
  • MTA
  • Multitargeted Antifolate
  • Pemfexy
Experimental: Arm D (ipilimumab, nivolumab, chemotherapy)
Patients receive ipilimumab IV over 90 minutes on day 1, nivolumab IV over 30 minutes on days 1, 22, and 43, and cisplatin (or carboplatin) IV over 2 hours on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive docetaxel IV over 1 hour or pemetrexed IV over 10 minutes on days 1, 22, and 43 in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Given IV
Other Names:
  • Blastocarb
  • Carboplat
  • Carboplatin Hexal
  • Carboplatino
  • Carboplatinum
  • Carbosin
  • Carbosol
  • Carbotec
  • CBDCA
  • Displata
  • Ercar
  • JM-8
  • Nealorin
  • Novoplatinum
  • Paraplatin
  • Paraplatin AQ
  • Paraplatine
  • Platinwas
  • Ribocarbo
Given IV
Other Names:
  • BMS-936558
  • MDX-1106
  • NIVO
  • ONO-4538
  • Opdivo
Given IV
Other Names:
  • CDDP
  • Cis-diamminedichloridoplatinum
  • Cismaplat
  • Cisplatinum
  • Neoplatin
  • Platinol
  • Abiplatin
  • Blastolem
  • Briplatin
  • Cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum
  • Cis-diamminedichloro Platinum (II)
  • Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum
  • Cis-dichloroammine Platinum (II)
  • Cis-platinous Diamine Dichloride
  • Cis-platinum
  • Cis-platinum II
  • Cis-platinum II Diamine Dichloride
  • Cisplatina
  • Cisplatyl
  • Citoplatino
  • Citosin
  • Cysplatyna
  • DDP
  • Lederplatin
  • Metaplatin
  • Placis
  • Plastistil
  • Platamine
  • Platiblastin
  • Platiblastin-S
  • Platinex
  • Platinol- AQ
  • Platinol-AQ
  • Platinol-AQ VHA Plus
  • Platinoxan
  • Platinum
  • Platinum Diamminodichloride
  • Platiran
  • Platistin
  • Platosin
  • Peyrone''s Chloride
  • Peyrone''s Salt
Given IV
Other Names:
  • Anti-Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen-4 Monoclonal Antibody
  • BMS-734016
  • Ipilimumab Biosimilar CS1002
  • MDX-010
  • MDX-CTLA4
  • Yervoy
Given IV
Other Names:
  • Taxotere
  • Docecad
  • RP56976
  • Taxotere Injection Concentrate
Given IV
Other Names:
  • MTA
  • Multitargeted Antifolate
  • Pemfexy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Major Pathologic Response (mPR)
Time Frame: The lung resection specimen was collected at surgery.
The percentage of viable tumor cells was averaged across all reviewed tumor slides from the lung resection specimen. The specimen was reviewed by two pathologists and average score was used. Tumors with ≤ 10% of viable tumor cells were considered to have undergone MPR. Patients who did not have surgery was considered to be no MPR.
The lung resection specimen was collected at surgery.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pathologic Complete Response (pCR)
Time Frame: The lung resection specimen was collected at surgery.
The percentage of viable tumor cells was averaged across all reviewed tumor slides from the lung resection specimen. The specimen was reviewed by two pathologists and average score was used. Tumors with 0% of viable tumor cells were considered to have undergone pCR. Patients who did not have surgery was considered to be no pCR.
The lung resection specimen was collected at surgery.
Radiographic Response
Time Frame: Reassessment after induction therapy
Radiographic response to induction treatment was assessed by RECIST version 1.1
Reassessment after induction therapy
Overall Survival (OS)
Time Frame: In Arms A and B, the cutoff date was 2020-2-25. The median follow-up time frame was 22.2 months. In Arms C and D, the cutoff date was 2022-7-18. The median follow-up time frames were 39.2 and 24.0 months respectively
Overall survival was defined as the time from randomization (in Arm A and Arm B) or treatment initiation (in Arm C and Arm D) to the time of death from all causes or to the time of last follow-up.
In Arms A and B, the cutoff date was 2020-2-25. The median follow-up time frame was 22.2 months. In Arms C and D, the cutoff date was 2022-7-18. The median follow-up time frames were 39.2 and 24.0 months respectively
Event-free Survival (EFS)
Time Frame: In Arms A and B, the cutoff date was 2020-2-25. The median follow-up time frame was 22.2 months. In Arms C and D, the cutoff date was 2022-7-18. The median follow-up time frames were 39.2 and 24.0 months respectively.
EFS was defined as the time from randomization (in Arm A and Arm B) or treatment initiation (in Arm C and Arm D) to any progression of primary lung cancer precluding planned surgery, any progression or recurrence (as assessed by imaging and/or histopathologically) of primary lung cancer after surgery, any progression of primary lung cancer in patients without surgery or death from all causes or to the time of last imaging.
In Arms A and B, the cutoff date was 2020-2-25. The median follow-up time frame was 22.2 months. In Arms C and D, the cutoff date was 2022-7-18. The median follow-up time frames were 39.2 and 24.0 months respectively.
Residual Tumor Classification
Time Frame: At surgery
The residual tumor (R) classification measures how well the lung tumor was removed by surgery in the anatomic extent. R0 means a complete resection. R1 means a macroscopically complete resection but with microscopic tumor at the surgical margin. R2 means a resection that leaves gross tumor behind. R0 resection is a better surgical outcome than R1, R2 resections and R2 is the worst surgical outcome. The number of R0, R1 and R2 resections were reported among the patients who underwent surgery.
At surgery
30-day Postoperative Complication
Time Frame: Within 30 days after surgery
The number of patients who had complications including pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, neurological, and wound within 30 days after surgery
Within 30 days after surgery
90-day Mortality
Time Frame: Within 90 days after surgery
The number of patients who died within 90 days after surgery
Within 90 days after surgery

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Identification of novel prognostic and predictive markers
Time Frame: Up to 8 weeks
Multivariate analysis will be used to explore the role of biomarkers in predicting pathologic response to treatment, in an exploratory way.
Up to 8 weeks
Modulation of markers by induction immunotherapy
Time Frame: Up to 8 weeks
Multivariate analysis will be used to explore the role of biomarkers in predicting pathologic response to treatment, in an exploratory way.
Up to 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Tina Cascone, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 16, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 13, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

November 13, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 16, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 16, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

May 17, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 17, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2016-0982 (Other Identifier: M D Anderson Cancer Center)
  • NCI-2018-01210 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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