Clinical trials

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) continues to exhibit high incidence and mortality rates in China, with the majority of patients diagnosed at middle to advanced stages. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the standard treatment for unresectable locally advanced ESCC. The 5-year survival rate for advanced esophageal cancer remains below 20%. Immunotherapy has demonstrated definitive efficacy and a favorable toxicity profile in advanced ESCC, and preliminary results of its combination with radiotherapy have been reported. Induction immunochemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy represents a feasible combined treatment strategy. However, optimal biomarkers to identify patients who would benefit from this approach are still lacking. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) status can accurately guide treatment implementation and predict tumor progression. Studies have shown that ctDNA changes precede imaging evidence of recurrence or metastasis, and ctDNA detection can sensitively predict tumor progression and prognosis. Therefore, it is necessary to dynamically monitor ctDNA changes throughout the course of induction immunochemotherapy followed by radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy in esophageal cancer and explore its correlation with prognosis.

The incidence and mortality of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma are at the forefront in China.Most part of patients are elderly. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Most elderly patients cannot tolerate concurrent chemotherapy because of complications and other reasons. Immunotherapy has definite efficacy and low toxicity in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and the results combined with radiotherapy have also been preliminarily reported. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy in elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.