Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is a single-arm, single-center, open-label, observational clinical study. A total of 30 patients with initially unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma will be enrolled.Eligible patients will receive albumin-bound paclitaxel (260 mg/m², day 1, every 3 weeks \[Q3W\]) plus cisplatin (75 mg/m²) or carboplatin (AUC = 5), in combination with tislelizumab (200 mg, day 2, Q3W), for 2-4 cycles. Tumor staging will be reassessed thereafter, and the feasibility of surgical resection will be determined based on multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion.The primary endpoint is the conversion rate to surgery. Secondary endpoints include pathological complete response (pCR), objective response rate (ORR), and safety.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma with a PD-1/CTLA-4 bispecific antibody (Cadonilimab) in combination with platinum-containing chemotherapy (Paclitaxel Polymeric Micelles for Injection combined with Cisplatin). Includes pathologic complete remission rates (pCR rates) after 2-4 cycles of Cadonilimab combination chemotherapy. The objective remission rate (ORR), major pathologic remission rate (MPR), R0 resection rate and 2-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (OS) rates, and safety of neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced esophageal squamous carcinoma with Cadonilimab combined with chemotherapy.

This was a single-center, open phase II clinical study. 34 patients with resectable local middle and advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were treated with anti-PD-1 antibody combined with sequential chemoratherapy regimen: Phase I:Toripalimab (240mg day1, Q3W\*2cycle) + clinical routine chemotherapy regimen selected by the investigator; The second stage: Toripalimab (240mg day1, Q3W\*1cycle) + radiotherapy (intensity modulated radiotherapy, 40Gy/20F, 2Gy/F); Surgery was performed 4-6 weeks after completion, and subsequent treatment options were considered after surgery according to MDT discussion. According to the postoperative pathological results, the pathological complete response (pCR) and major response (MPR) were evaluated. The disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), 1 or 2 years survival rate and adverse reactions were recorded.

Our previous study, a single-center, prospective, single-arm Phase II study (Keypoint001) has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy in locally advanced (cT3-4N+M0) esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The results show that the pathological complete response rate (pCR) reaches 35%, and the major pathological response rate is over 70%, which is much higher than that of patients receiving chemotherapy alone. Meanwhile, no severe adverse drug reactions have been found in terms of safety, so this treatment regimen is safe and reliable. However, the cycle of neoadjuvant immunotherapy is still under exploration. Currently, the mainstream research centers adopt a regimen of 2 to 4 cycles. The exploration results of our center have found that most patients' conditions can be further alleviated after 4 cycles compared with after 2 cycles, but there are still a small number of patients with no obvious remission. Therefore, we consider observing whether patients with no obvious remission can achieve a better pathological response rate through further radiotherapy.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if cadonilimab combined with anlotinib can be a safe and effective neoadjuvant therapy in patients with locally advanced resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The main questions it aims to answer are: What level of pathological complete response (pCR) rate can be achieved with this neoadjuvant regimen? Is this neoadjuvant regimen safe enough with acceptable toxicity? Participants will: Receive cadonilimab (10mg/Kg, ivgtt, d1) and anlotinib (12mg, P.O., d1-d14) on a 21-day regimen for 3 cycles. Undertake radical resection of ESCC after neoadjuvant therapy if there is no surgical contraindication. Accept an follow-up for 2 years after surgery.

Although definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard treatment option for unresectable locally advanced esophageal cancer, elderly patients tolerate intravenous concurrent CRT less well with age and comorbidities. Previous trials have demonstrated that CRT with oral S-1 was tolerable and provided significant survival benefits over radiotherapy alone in elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, as high as 54% of patients with elderly ESCC experienced locoregional or distant recurrence after CRT. Therefore, a more effective regimen for older patients is needed. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1 have shown substantial clinical benefits in advanced esophageal cancer. Recently, the combination of immunotherapy with CRT has emerged as a promising strategy to improve clinical outcomes in locally advanced esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of toripalimab (an anti-PD-1 antibody) after concurrent CRT in elderly patients with locally advanced ESCC.