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Updated: Aug 8, 2025

Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 12, 2024
Potent molecular-targeted therapies for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Akira Ooki1, Hiroki Osumi2, Keisho Chin2
1Department of Gastroenterological Chemotherapy, Cancer Institute Hospital of Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 3-8-31 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan.
Abstract:
Esophageal cancer (EC) remains a public health concern with a high mortality and disease burden worldwide. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a predominant histological subtype of EC that has unique etiology, molecular profiles, and clinicopathological features. Although systemic chemotherapy, including cytotoxic agents and immune checkpoint inhibitors, is the main therapeutic option for recurrent or metastatic ESCC patients, the clinical benefits are limited with poor prognosis. Personalized molecular-targeted therapies have been hampered due to the lack of robust treatment efficacy in clinical trials. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize the molecular profiles of ESCC based on the findings of pivotal comprehensive molecular analyses, highlighting potent therapeutic targets for establishing future precision medicine for ESCC patients, with the most recent results of clinical trials.
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