Immunotherapy combo shows promise in preventing esophageal cancer return
NCT ID NCT03322267
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab after standard chemoradiotherapy and surgery could prevent cancer recurrence in 26 patients with high-risk esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Participants received cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy followed by 18 cycles of pembrolizumab. The main goal was to see if this approach improves the one-year relapse-free survival rate compared to historical data.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy drug) combined with cisplatin (chemotherapy) and radiation
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could help prevent esophageal cancer from coming back after surgery, improving long-term survival.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 26 participants and no comparison group, so results may not be conclusive. Immunotherapy can cause serious side effects like inflammation of organs.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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National Taiwan University Hospital
Taipei, 10002, Taiwan
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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