Fig. 5: Relationship between pathology and other clinical/biomarker correlates.

a, Representative case showing the potential disconnect between assessment of LN involvement on radiology and pathology. Top left, the pretreatment CT scan showed an enlarged LN. Bottom left, the CT scan just before surgical resection demonstrated an approximately 50% reduction in the size of the LN. Right, photomicrograph of the same LN in the definitive resection specimen showed an MPR (90% reduction in tumor), highlighting the underestimation of pathologic response by imaging. The regression bed is surrounded by a white dotted line and is shown on higher power in top right. RVT is shown in the lower right and is marked by yellow asterisks. b, Patients with LN involvement by imaging at baseline and by pathology at resection, across treatment arms. c, Radiographic (BOR per RECIST1.1) and pathologic response (%RVT) in PT, across treatment arms. d, ctDNA clearance and pathologic response (%RVT) in PT, across treatment arms. e, Association of EFS and survival surrogates for patients receiving nivolumab plus chemotherapy. BOR, best overall response; CL, clearance; CR, complete response; NE, not evaluable; PD, progressive disease; PR, partial response; RECIST1.1, Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1; SD, stable disease. ^aData were not reported for two patients. ^bctDNA data were not available/not evaluable for 201 patients. ^cResponders = CR + PR; nonresponders = SD + PD. ^dIn the concurrently randomized population, 43 patients had 0% RVT in PT + LN versus 136 without 0% RVT in PT + LN (HR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.05–0.37)¹⁹. ^eIn the concurrently randomized population, 24 patients had ctDNA CL versus 19 without ctDNA CL (HR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.20–1.82)¹⁹.