Published online Nov 7, 2023. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i41.5641
Peer-review started: July 27, 2023
First decision: September 26, 2023
Revised: October 7, 2023
Accepted: October 23, 2023
Article in press: October 23, 2023
Published online: November 7, 2023
Processing time: 103 Days and 3.3 Hours
Although pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy has been proven effective as first-line therapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer, few trials have assessed the safety and efficacy of this treatment in patients with locally advanced disease.
Progress has been made in the immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy as the first-line treatment of advanced esophageal cancer. The efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in locally advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the real world were worth studying.
To analyze the long-term outcomes of pembrolizumab in locally advanced or metastatic ESCC in the real world.
This was a single-arm, single-center, retrospective clinical study. Patients who were initially diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic esophageal cancer from October 1, 2019 to October 1, 2021 were included. According to the different clinical stages and treatment modalities, the patients were divided into different subgroups. Long-term survival outcomes were evaluated.
A total of 55 patients with ESCC were enrolled in this study from October 1, 2019 to October 1, 2021. The median overall survival (OS) in all patients was not reached. The 12-mo OS rate was 78.8% and the 18-mo OS rate was 72.7%. Nine patients died due to tumor progression and 7 patients died due to treatment-related complications.
Pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy resulted in favorable long-term survival in patients with locally advanced or metastatic ESCC, with safe and manageable long-term adverse effects.
It is necessary to explore the efficacy of pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic ESCC. Randomized phase III trials should be carried out for further verification of the efficacy.