Greek researchers have played a leading role in one of the largest clinical studies to date on small-cell lung cancer, unveiling results that mark a breakthrough in treatment for the aggressive disease.
The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Study compares immunotherapy with chemotherapy
The multinational phase 3 trial, led by Dr. Ioannis Mountzios of Henry Dunant Hospital in Athens, compared the immunotherapy drug tarlatamab with standard chemotherapy in patients whose small-cell lung cancer had returned or progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy.
This type of lung cancer accounts for about 15 to 20 percent of new cases worldwide and is known for rapid progression and limited treatment options.
Survival improves by more than five months
Researchers randomly assigned 509 patients to receive either tarlatamab or chemotherapy drugs, including topotecan, lurbinectedin, or amrubicin. Results from the interim analysis showed patients treated with tarlatamab lived significantly longer.
🫁 Breakthroughs mean nothing if patients can’t reach them.
IMDELLTRA (tarlatamab) just cut the risk of death by 40% in small cell lung cancer – adding 5+ months of life.
But across Europe, access is unequal. People are waiting & time is the one thing they don’t have.#SCLC… pic.twitter.com/Gd0mb9VQZ4
— Lung Cancer Europe (@LungCancerEu) June 4, 2025
The median overall survival was 13.6 months, compared with 8.3 months for those receiving chemotherapy. The risk of death was reduced by 40 percent.
Fewer side effects and better symptom relief
The study also demonstrated improvements beyond survival. Patients receiving tarlatamab experienced fewer severe side effects—54 percent compared with 80 percent in the chemotherapy group—and were less likely to discontinue treatment due to adverse events.
Symptom relief was another benefit, with significant reductions in cancer-related shortness of breath and coughing.
New therapy already gaining global approvals
Henry Dunant Hospital highlighted these findings as paving the way for a new generation of treatments. Tarlatamab, described as a bispecific delta-like ligand 3-directed T-cell engager, works by activating the body’s immune cells to target and attack cancer cells.
The therapy has already secured accelerated approval in several countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia. Broader European approval, including in Greece, is anticipated by 2026.
Educational initiative planned for World Lung Cancer Day
Coinciding with World Lung Cancer Day on Aug. 1, Henry Dunant Hospital and Mountzios are launching an educational program for oncologists to share these findings and discuss the future of immunotherapy in small-cell lung cancer healthcare.
Greek contribution draws international recognition
Mountzios said Greece’s role in the study underscores the country’s growing research capabilities. He noted that Henry Dunant Hospital enrolled more patients in the trial than any other institution worldwide, surpassing renowned centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Shanghai University Hospital.
He called the achievement a defining moment for Greek oncology and evidence that local research centers now stand alongside the best in the world.
