Using scans and blood tests to personalize lung cancer immunotherapy

Noninvasive imaging and blood biomarkers for personalized lung cancer immunotherapy

['FUNDING_R01'] · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · NIH-11324542

Using CT imaging and blood markers to predict which people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer will benefit from immunotherapy.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorSTANFORD UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (STANFORD, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11324542 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

From a patient's perspective, this project uses routine chest CT scans plus blood samples to look for patterns that signal whether immunotherapy is likely to work. Researchers will extract detailed image features (radiomics) and combine them with blood-based biomarkers, then train biology-informed deep learning models that are designed to be more interpretable. The team plans to integrate the imaging and blood information to generate individual predictions of treatment benefit. The work focuses on noninvasive tests so results could be obtained without extra biopsies.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who are being considered for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and can provide recent CT scans and blood samples are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: Patients with other cancer types, early-stage lung cancer not treated with immunotherapy, or those without available imaging or blood samples are unlikely to benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: Could help doctors choose immunotherapy more accurately, sparing patients ineffective treatment, reducing side effects, and saving cost.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies using imaging features or blood biomarkers have shown promise but been inconsistent, so combining interpretable AI with blood tests represents a newer, promising approach.

Where this research is happening

STANFORD, 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 →

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.