Lung cancer: real-world study confirms the benefits of preoperative immunotherapy

With 52,777 new cases in 2023¹ , lung cancer is the third most common cancer in France. Many patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) - the most prevalent form - can be cured by surgery if diagnosed before metastasis. However, these cancers are highly aggressive, and the risk of recurrence remains very high (between 30% and 55% of patients who undergo surgery experience a relapse). 

Coordinated by teams at Institut Curie, the international Phase 3 CheckMate-816 study involving 358 patients with non-metastatic lung cancer showed in 2025² that combining immunotherapy (nivolumab) with chemotherapy before surgery significantly reduced the risk of recurrence. At five years, 65% of patients treated with a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy before surgery were still alive, compared to 55% for chemotherapy alone.

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of this approach in routine practice, teams at Institut Curie coordinated a real-world study in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb. These results³ are being presented by Dr. Francesca Lucibello, thoracic oncologist at Institut Curie, at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC), taking place March 25–28, 2026, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Preoperative immunotherapy validated in real-world practice

Coordinated by Prof. Nicolas Girard, pulmonologist and head of the department of Medical oncology at Institut Curie, this multicenter study analyzed real-world data from 622 patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer who were treated with nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy before surgery between 2022 and 2024 at 56 French centers. 

Reflecting the realities of patient care, real-world data capture the diversity of care pathways and the impact of treatments under routine conditions. By providing concrete evidence, real-world studies therefore complement clinical trials.
In this study, the data, collected in a secure and regulated framework, show a significant improvement in event-free survival and in the  pathologic complete response (pCR) rate, two key measures of efficacy. In 31.2% of cases, cancer cells disappeared following immunotherapy administered together with chemotherapy before surgery: these patients remain disease-free and do not relapse. The 12-month event-free survival rate was 79.3% for all patients and 93.9% among those who achieved a pCR. 

Beyond efficacy, the study also highlights the feasibility of this approach on a large scale, with high surgery rates and a safety profile compatible with routine use.

mphasizes Prof. Nicolas Girard.

[1] Source : Institut national du cancer / Les cancers du poumon

[2] Read more

[3] Tumor and node pathological response after neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy in a cohort of 622 patients with resectable NSCLC: Results from a French multicenter study. Poster session, March 26th. Dr. Francesca Lucibello.

[4]The absence of any signs of cancer in tissue samples taken during surgery or a biopsy following treatment with radiotherapy or chemotherapy.