This clinical trial is comparing morning infusions of the study drug (pembrolizumab) to random infusion scheduling for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
Participants will be randomized to either the Intervention (Morning Group) where Infusion start times are restricted between 0800 AM and 1000 AM or to the Control (Standard of Care) group where scheduling will occur as standard of care scheduling, in which infusions are scheduled without respect to a specific time of day.
There are past studies that suggest the timing of treatment may influence immune response and outcomes. This idea is called chronotherapy. Chronotherapy explores the notion that the timing of drug administration in relation to the body's internal clock can optimize treatment effectiveness. The timing of the infusions for the morning group was therefore, chosen based on data from these past studies that looked at circadian variation in immune system function with the intent to focus on similar infusion windows.
The aim of this study is to provide confirmation that the intervention is possible to achieve and use these results to design a larger study. Circadian timing of drug administration, if effective, would represent an intervention that could improve survival outcomes at no additional cost or apparent increase in toxicity, which is truly rare in oncology.
Participants are asked to participate in the study intervention for 18 weeks (6 cycles of pembrolizumab), after which participants would continue with ad hoc scheduling as per standard of care.
Patients with histologic diagnosis mNSCLC with PDL1 staining ≥ 50% on standard of care IHC testing
Patients must be eligible for treatment with standard-of-care pembrolizumab
Patients must be 18 years of age or older.
Patients must be capable of providing consent to enrolment and willing to comply with study, treatment and follow-up.
Concurrent therapy with systemic therapy other than pembrolizumab (such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, other checkpoint inhibitors, or hormonal therapy).
Treatment plan includes local therapy such as radiation or surgery.
Untreated symptomatic brain metastases, or previously treated brain metastases requiring corticosteroids for symptom control. Patients with untreated asymptomatic brain metastases, where all lesions are < 2cm in size with no vasogenic edema, are eligible.
Presence of leptomeningeal disease.