Ma W, Baran N. Expanding horizons in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: The promise of induction chemoimmunotherapy with radiotherapy. World J Clin Oncol 2025; 16(7): 104959 [DOI: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i7.104959]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Wenxue Ma, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Sanford Stem Cell Institute, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, San Diego, CA 92093, United States. wma@health.ucsd.edu
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Clin Oncol. Jul 24, 2025; 16(7): 104959 Published online Jul 24, 2025. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i7.104959
Expanding horizons in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: The promise of induction chemoimmunotherapy with radiotherapy
Wenxue Ma, Natalia Baran
Wenxue Ma, Department of Medicine, Sanford Stem Cell Institute, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, United States
Natalia Baran, Department of Hematology and Central Hematology Laboratory, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland
Natalia Baran, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Section of Experimental Hematology, Warsaw, 02-776, Poland
Author contributions: Ma W reviewed the relevant literature, conceptualized and outlined this editorial, wrote, edited, and finalized the manuscript for publication; Baran N reviewed the manuscript and provided editorial feedback and revisions.
Supported by National Science Centre, Poland, No. 2021/43/B/NZ5/03345.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Wenxue Ma, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Sanford Stem Cell Institute, and Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, 2880 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, San Diego, CA 92093, United States. wma@health.ucsd.edu
Received: January 7, 2025 Revised: February 23, 2025 Accepted: March 13, 2025 Published online: July 24, 2025 Processing time: 196 Days and 16.4 Hours
Abstract
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a highly aggressive malignancy with limited effective therapeutic options for patients with locally advanced unresectable disease. The study by Wei et al, featured in this issue, highlights the potential of induction chemoimmunotherapy followed by definitive radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy to improve treatment outcomes in this challenging patient population. This retrospective analysis of 132 patients demonstrates promising results, including a median progression-free survival of 14.2 months and overall survival of 19.9 months, alongside an acceptable safety profile. Notably, the study identifies the effectiveness of induction therapy and maintenance immunotherapy as key prognostic factors, emphasizing the synergistic potential of integrating immune checkpoint inhibitors with radiotherapy. While these findings are encouraging, they require further validation through prospective trials, along with biomarker-based and immune response studies, to refine patient selection and maximize therapeutic benefits. This editorial explores the implications of this research, its impact on clinical practice, and future directions for advancing the treatment landscape of ESCC.
Core Tip: This editorial highlights the study by Wei et al, which examines the impact of induction chemoimmunotherapy followed by radiotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The study demonstrates improved survival outcomes and a manageable safety profile, identifies the effectiveness of induction therapy and maintenance immunotherapy as key prognostic factors. This innovative approach represents a promising advancement in the treatment of ESCC and underscores the need for future prospective trials and mechanistic studies incorporating biomarker investigations to refine therapeutic strategies and enhance patient outcomes.
