TRAcking Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Evolution Through Therapy (Rx)

This study is looking for adults aged 18 or older who have been diagnosed with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (stages IIA-IIIB according to the 8th edition of TNM staging guidelines). You must be planning to have surgery for your lung cancer, following UK national guidelines. If your initial scans suggest your cancer might be stage IB (N0), but there's a good chance it could be a higher stage after surgery, you might still be included, but if surgery confirms it's still stage IB, you would then need to leave the study. Your cancer must also be confirmed by tests, or there must be a strong suspicion of cancer that requires surgery.

To be suitable for the study, you need to be generally well and able to get around without much difficulty (doctors call this a 'performance status' of 0 or 1). Your tumour should be at least 15mm (about 0.6 inches) in size so that researchers can get enough samples from different parts of it. You also need to agree to attend follow-up appointments at a TRACERx study site.

You would not be able to join if you have another ongoing cancer or one that has come back in the last three years (with some exceptions like certain skin cancers). You also can't participate if you have certain infections like HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or syphilis, or if you have a condition that would make it difficult to understand and agree to take part. If you need treatment before your surgery for your lung cancer, or if there isn't enough tumour tissue to take samples, you wouldn't be able to join either. If your staging after surgery turns out not to be IIA-IIIB, you would also be unable to stay in the study.

If you decide to take part in the TRACERx study, you will be asked to sign a consent form, which means you understand and agree to the study procedures. The main part of your involvement will happen around your planned lung cancer surgery. During this surgery, doctors will take extra small samples of your tumour tissue from different areas, in addition to the tissue taken for your standard care. You won't need to take any new medications just for this study.

After your surgery, you will continue with your standard follow-up care as recommended by your doctor. However, the TRACERx team will specifically keep track of your health and any changes in your cancer over time. This involves sharing information from your regular medical check-ups and scans with the study researchers. The total duration of your participation in the study involves ongoing monitoring of your health information linked to your cancer journey, but it doesn't usually add extra clinic visits or appointments beyond your normal care.