Surgery versus focused stereotactic radiation for early-stage lung cancer

Comparative Effectiveness of Surgery vs Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Stage I Lung Cancer

['FUNDING_R01'] · WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · NIH-11380728

This project compares surgery and focused stereotactic radiation (SBRT) for people with stage I non-small cell lung cancer to learn which approach best balances cure, side effects, and recovery.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorWASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11380728 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you have stage I lung cancer, researchers will follow people treated with either surgery or SBRT and collect medical records, imaging, and patient-reported symptoms and quality of life. The team will pool data from many centers to get larger numbers than past studies and use careful statistical methods to account for other health problems that affect outcomes. They will track survival, cancer control, complications, and recovery to help match treatments to individual patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with newly diagnosed stage I non-small cell lung cancer who are considering surgery or SBRT would be ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients with more advanced lung cancer (stage II–IV) or those who are not eligible for either surgery or SBRT would not be included and are unlikely to benefit directly.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: This work could help patients and doctors choose the treatment that best balances cure, side effects, and quality of life for early-stage lung cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Randomized trials comparing surgery and SBRT have failed to enroll enough patients and most prior comparisons are retrospective, so this large prospective comparative approach is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

SAINT LOUIS, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Cancer Cause, Cancer Etiology

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.