The Impact of Surgical Technique on Circulating Tumor DNA in Stage I-III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

This clinical trial compares the effect of pulmonary vein-first surgical technique to pulmonary artery-first surgical technique in decreasing circulating tumor cell deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) in patients with stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer. Pulmonary vein first and pulmonary artery first surgical techniques are standard surgical techniques for the division of the blood vessels during lung resection surgery. Pulmonary vein-first surgical technique may reduce the risk of shedding tumor cells during surgery and influence long term overall survival.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To determine the association between sequence of surgical resection and postoperative ctDNA levels at specified time points. SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: I. To determine the associated between sequence of surgical resection and postoperative ctDNA level and clinical oncologic outcomes. II. To assess disease-free survival and the role of circulating tumor DNA in disease recurrence in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 groups. GROUP I: Patients undergo pulmonary vein first approach surgical procedure on day of surgery. GROUP II: Patients undergo pulmonary artery first approach surgical procedure on day of surgery. After completion of surgery, patients are followed up at day 1, day 7, days 7-28, 4 months, every 6 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for up to 5 years

Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma, Stage I Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage II Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage III Lung Cancer AJCC v8

Artery-First Technique, A-First Technique, Lung Cancer Artery-First Surgical Technique, Artery-First Surgical Technique, Artery-First Ligation

Stratified by surgical vascular division technique. A peripheral blood sample will be taken at the time of surgery to determine baseline ctDNA status. Following surgical resection a blood sample will be taken at specified time points (postoperative day 2; postoperative day 14) to determine ctDNA levels compared to baseline. The difference in the proportion of patients who have positive ctDNA status between those undergoing division/ligation in a "pulmonary-vein first" technique compared to a "pulmonary-artery first" technique will be estimated. The risk difference will be estimated along with a 95% confidence interval.

Stratified by surgical vascular division technique. A peripheral blood sample will be taken at the time of surgery to determine baseline ctDNA status. Following surgical resection a blood sample will be taken at specified time points (postoperative day 2; postoperative day 14) to determine ctDNA levels compared to baseline. The difference in the proportion of patients who have positive ctDNA status between those undergoing division/ligation in a "pulmonary-vein first" technique compared to a "pulmonary-artery first" technique will be estimated. The risk difference will be estimated along with a 95% confidence interval.

The distribution of survival outcomes will be estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, stratified by ctDNA status at 2 days and 2 weeks. Key statistics (median survival, 1- and 2-year survival) will be estimated from the curve along with 95% confidence intervals. We will also use a Cox proportional hazard regression model, stratified by stage in the analyses, to estimate the hazard ratio along with a 95% confidence interval.

The distribution of survival outcomes will be estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, stratified by ctDNA status at 2 days and 2 weeks. Key statistics (median survival, 1- and 2-year survival) will be estimated from the curve along with 95% confidence intervals. We will also use a Cox proportional hazard regression model, stratified by stage in the analyses, to estimate the hazard ratio along with a 95% confidence interval.

Inclusion Criteria: Any patients 18 years of age or older with confirmed or suspected early-stage (stage I-III) NSCLC Eligible and scheduled for surgical anatomic lung resection (e.g. lobectomy or segmentectomy) as routine clinical care for their disease Exclusion Criteria: Previous cancer diagnosis within 5 years (except ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS] of the breast, superficial bladder cancer, non-melanoma skin primary, other malignancy that does not require treatment). Preoperative chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy Receipt of perioperative blood transfusion