ChemoRT Then Immunochemotherapy Then Surgery Promising in Unresectable Esophageal Cancer
MONDAY, Nov. 18, 2024 -- For patients with unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by immunochemotherapy (iCT) and then surgery is promising, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in Clinical Cancer Research.
Xin Wang, from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, and colleagues examined the safety and efficacy of CRT followed by iCT and surgery for unresectable locally advanced ESCC. Patients received radiotherapy and nab-paclitaxel plus cisplatin for five weeks, followed by tislelizumab plus chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel and cisplatin) for two 21-day cycles. Patients who converted to resectable then underwent surgery. One-year progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary end point.
Thirty patients were enrolled and underwent CRT; 24 of these received iCT. The researchers found that 20 patients (66.7 percent) achieved resectability (R0: 95.2 percent). The one-year PFS rate was 79.4 percent, and the overall survival rate was 89.6 percent. Significantly longer PFS and overall survival were exhibited by the R0 resection group (hazard ratios, 0.28 and 0.18, respectively). Eleven patients (36.7 percent) had grade 3 to 4 adverse events, and five of those receiving iCT had immune-related pneumonitis (20.8 percent). There was an association seen for post-CRT minimal residual disease before surgery with unfavorable PFS and overall survival.
"The neoadjuvant treatment approach we tested has the potential to make initially unresectable tumors resectable, giving patients the opportunity to have a durable cancer-free state," Li said in a statement. "Our trial clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of combining chemoradiotherapy, chemoimmunotherapy, and surgery compared to nonsurgical management alone. We were confident in potential benefits of adding immunotherapy to chemoradiotherapy, but the remarkable pathologic complete response and the strong survival outcomes far exceeded our expectations."
Two authors disclosed ties to Nanjing Geneseeq Technology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Read this next
Remote Perioperative Telemonitoring Beneficial After Cancer Surgery
THURSDAY, Sept. 25, 2025 -- Remote perioperative telemonitoring (RPM) improves postoperative functional recovery and symptoms among patients undergoing surgery for cancer...
Guidelines Developed for Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy
THURSDAY, Sept. 25, 2025 -- In a clinical practice guideline published online Sept. 16 in Practical Radiation Oncology, recommendations are presented for the use of postmastectomy...
Low Metastasis Rate Seen for Radiation Plus Silicone Oil in Uveal Melanoma
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 24, 2025 -- Patients with uveal melanoma mainly treated with plaque brachytherapy with vitrectomy and silicone oil for radiation attenuation have low rates of...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.