Clinical Outcomes of the POPCORN Study: Pharmacodynamics of Pre‐Operative PD1 CheckpOint Blockade and Receptor Activator of NF‐κB Ligand (RANKL) Inhibition in Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)—A Phase 1B/2 Trial

Key Points

• The study aims to evaluate the effects of neoadjuvant therapy using nivolumab and denosumab in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
• Phase 1B/2 trial design
• Combination therapy of nivolumab and denosumab
• Evaluation of CD8 T-cell infiltration
• Assessment of pathological response
• Demonstrated feasibility of neoadjuvant systemic therapy in NSCLC
• Increased CD8 T-cell infiltration correlates with better pathological responses
• Encourages further translational research for patient selection in therapy