Adding This One Thing Pre-Surgery Could Save More Lung Cancer Patients
ASCO, Applied
At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, a groundbreaking study was presented that has the oncology community buzzing. Here's how that's changing how doctors practice medicine right now.
“This strategy is also shorter and maybe less time and cost intensive than doing treatment before and after surgery." — Erik K. Singhi, MD, oncologist, @lungoncdoc
If you're treating early-stage lung cancer patients who are heading to surgery, oncologist Erik K. Singhi, MD, wants you to take a closer look at the latest results from the CheckMate 816 trial, presented at the 2025 American Clinical Oncology Society (ASCO) annual meeting. []
The data could change how you think about pre-op care.
The study focused on patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who don’t have common gene mutations such as EGFR or ALK. It tested a short course—just nine weeks—of chemo plus immunotherapy before surgery.
The results?
“Sixty-five percent of patients who got chemotherapy plus immunotherapy before surgery were alive at 5 years, compared to 55% who got chemotherapy alone,” Dr. Singhi explained in an Instagram Reel (click here to watch the video).
Even more striking: Patients whose tumors showed no signs of cancer after surgery (a pathologic complete response) had a 95% 5-year survival rate, said Dr. Singhi.
Related: Young and middle-aged women are at higher risk for lung cancer than menWhy it matters
Not only could patients live disease-free for longer with this strategy—it’s also shorter, simpler, and potentially easier on them than doing treatment both before and after surgery. That's a turning point for how we treat lung cancers, according to Dr. Singhi.
“This is a strong, evidence-based option to discuss with your oncology team,” he said. "This strategy is also shorter and maybe less time and cost intensive than doing treatment before and after surgery."
Should we add treatment after surgery?
The study didn’t answer whether it’s even better to follow up with more combo treatment after surgery as well. That’s still being explored in other trials. But for now, Dr. Singhi sees a clear takeaway.
"For now, Checkmate 816 offers real hope with a less is more approach—a shot at long-term survival for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer with just nine weeks of treatment before surgery," he said.
The bottom line for physicians
While the data is promising, it's important to note that major oncology guidelines have yet to endorse this regimen.
But if your patient is headed to surgery for early-stage NSCLC and doesn’t have EGFR or ALK mutations, this new approach—a short course of both chemo and immunotherapy—may be enough to make a big difference.