Virus cocktail aims to make inoperable esophageal cancer removable
NCT ID NCT07061704
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether injecting a cancer-killing virus directly into tumors, combined with standard chemotherapy and an immunotherapy drug, can shrink advanced esophageal cancer enough to allow surgery. About 40 adults with unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma will receive the virus every 3 weeks along with intravenous chemo and immunotherapy. The goal is to see if this approach can turn inoperable tumors into operable ones and improve survival.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- oncolytic virus (injected into tumors) plus chemotherapy and an immune checkpoint inhibitor
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could shrink inoperable esophageal tumors enough to allow surgery, potentially improving survival and quality of life.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase, single-arm trial with only 40 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The virus injection carries risks like infection or inflammation, and the combination may cause severe side effects.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Sep 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 80 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * A. Age 18-80 years B. Diagnosed with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with/without cervical lymph node metastases. C. Ability to provide fresh tumor tissue samples (baseline) D. Normal major organ function E. Performance status (PS) score ≤ 1 F. Patients of childbearing potential must use contraception G. Voluntary participation with signed informed consent H. Able to comply with the study protocol, follow-up schedule, and other protocol requirements. Exclusion Criteria: * A. Received prior antitumor chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy before the first-line treatment. B. High risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, esophageal fistula, or esophageal perforation C. Poor nutritional status D. Immune-related adverse events during prior radical treatment, such as Grade ≥3 pneumonitis, myocarditis, etc. E. Signs and symptoms of interstitial diseases F. Presence of any severe and/or uncontrolled medical conditions G. Presence of concurrent malignancies H. Presence of other autoimmune diseases, or prolonged use of immunosuppressants or steroids I. Difficulty in patient communication or inability to comply with long-term follow-up J. Other conditions deemed unsuitable by the investigator
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Esophageal cancer are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
West China Hospital of Sichuan University
RECRUITINGChengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Blood proteins may predict who beats esophageal cancer with chemoradiation
- New Antibody-Drug conjugate put to the test against Hard-to-Treat cancers
- Can a direct hit to tumors make immunotherapy work better?
- New antibody aims to preserve immune checkpoint while fighting cancer
- Can a guided missile for chemo hit tumors harder and spare healthy tissue?
- Can a new drug shrink tumors that resist standard care?