NRG-LU005 trial finds atezolizumab addition does not improve survival in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer

The NRG‑LU005 (NCT03811002) phase III trial, which evaluated the addition of atezolizumab (Tecentriq) to standard concurrent chemoradiation for patients with limited‑stage small‑cell lung cancer (SCLC), presented its primary endpoint results at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 2024 Annual Meeting. The study enrolled a broad cohort of patients receiving the current standard of care and added atezolizumab to assess whether the immunotherapy could extend overall survival (OS).

The data showed that incorporating atezolizumab did not lead to a statistically significant improvement in OS compared with chemoradiation alone. While secondary endpoints and subgroup analyses were also examined, the primary outcome—overall survival—remained unchanged, indicating that the addition of this immunotherapeutic agent does not confer a survival advantage for limited‑stage SCLC patients under the study protocol.

These findings suggest that the current standard of care for limited‑stage small‑cell lung cancer remains unchanged, and that atezolizumab should not be adopted as an adjunct to concurrent chemoradiation based on the evidence from NRG‑LU005.