Durvalumab With Radiation Therapy in Patients With Inoperable Locally Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Ineligible for Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy (DART)

A Andreas Rimner (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) E Emily S. Lebow (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) K Kelly J. Fitzgerald (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) L Leah Kratochvil (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) N Nicolas Toumbacaris (Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) D Daphna Y. Gelblum (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) R Rupesh Kotecha D Daniel R. Gomez (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) A Abraham J. Wu (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) A Annemarie F. Shepherd (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) E Ellen D. Yorke (Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) J Juliana Eng (Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY) K Kenneth Ng G Gregory J. Riely (Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY) A Afsheen Iqbal (Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY) C Charles M. Rudin D David R. Jones (MPA-Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory 2 , Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545,) J James M. Isbell G Gaetano Rocco (Thoracic Surgery Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) V Valerie W. Rusch (Thoracic Surgery Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) M Michelle S. Ginsberg (Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) Z Zhigang Zhang C Charles B. Simone (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) M Mark G. Kris (Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY) N Narek Shaverdian (Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY) J Jamie E. Chaft (Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY)

Abstract

PURPOSE Concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy (cCRT) followed by consolidative durvalumab is the standard of care (SoC) for fit patients with inoperable, locally advanced non–small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). However, no SoC exists for patients who are cCRT-ineligible because of age, comorbidities, or frailty. Here, we investigated the efficacy and adverse events (AEs) of concurrent and consolidative durvalumab with definitive radiation therapy (RT) without chemotherapy. METHODS In this multicenter, single-arm, prospective phase II study, patients received conventionally fractionated RT plus concurrent and consolidative durvalumab (1,500 mg fixed dose once every 4 weeks) for up to 12 months. The primary end point was 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 36% compared with historical results of 20% with sequential CRT (86% power). Additional end points included overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS Fifty-eight patients (median age 82 years [IQR, 76-86]; 16 [28%] PD-L1–negative; eight [14%] Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] score 2; 46 [79%] ECOG score 1; four [7%] ECOG score 0) were treated per protocol. The study met its primary end point with a 2-year PFS of 39% (one-sided CI, 29 to 100) and a 2-year OS of 54%. Better performance status and PD-L1 positivity were associated with improved PFS; better ECOG was associated with improved OS; PD-L1 positivity was associated with better CSS. Grade 3/4 treatment-related AEs occurred in 12 (21%) patients. Grade 5 AEs occurred in four (7%) patients (radiation pneumonitis (n = 2) and cardiac arrest (n = 2)). Durvalumab was discontinued early because of AEs in 18 (31%) patients. CONCLUSION Thoracic RT with concurrent and consolidative durvalumab is a promising treatment option for cCRT-ineligible patients with LA-NSCLC, demonstrating better PFS with a favorable safety profile compared with historical controls.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published July 16, 2026
ISSN 0732-183X
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0732-183X Health Sciences

Authors (26)

A

Andreas Rimner

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

E

Emily S. Lebow

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

K

Kelly J. Fitzgerald

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

L

Leah Kratochvil

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

N

Nicolas Toumbacaris

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

D

Daphna Y. Gelblum

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

R

Rupesh Kotecha

D

Daniel R. Gomez

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

A

Abraham J. Wu

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

A

Annemarie F. Shepherd

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

E

Ellen D. Yorke

Department of Medical Physics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

J

Juliana Eng

Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

K

Kenneth Ng

G

Gregory J. Riely

Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

A

Afsheen Iqbal

Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

C

Charles M. Rudin

D

David R. Jones

MPA-Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory 2 , Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545,

J

James M. Isbell

G

Gaetano Rocco

Thoracic Surgery Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

V

Valerie W. Rusch

Thoracic Surgery Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

M

Michelle S. Ginsberg

Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Z

Zhigang Zhang

C

Charles B. Simone

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

M

Mark G. Kris

Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY

N

Narek Shaverdian

Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

J

Jamie E. Chaft

Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY