MRI surveillance without prophylactic cranial irradiation improves cognitive outcomes in small‑cell lung cancer trial

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) presented data from the SWOG S1827 MAVERICK Phase III randomized trial at its 2026 World Conference on Lung Cancer in Seoul, South Korea. The study evaluated patients with small‑cell lung cancer (SCLC) who received routine brain magnetic‑resonance imaging (MRI) surveillance in lieu of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI).

Results showed that the MRI‑surveillance strategy significantly prolonged cognitive failure‑free survival, the trial’s primary endpoint, compared with the PCI approach, while overall survival rates remained comparable between the two groups. investigators concluded that regular brain MRI monitoring may offer a neurocognitive advantage without compromising survival outcomes for patients with SCLC.