Perioperative outcomes and survival after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous...

This study aimed to compare the difference in perioperative outcomes and prognosis between neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy were identified from a prospectively maintained database at Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University between January 2018 and March 2022. Propensity score matching was performed to balance the 2 groups.

A total of 124 patient pairs were enrolled in the final analysis. The complete pathological response rate (20.2% vs 29.0%, P = .140) was similar in the 2 groups, whereas the lower major pathological response rate (44.4% vs 61.3%, P = .011) was observed in the neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy group. Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy was associated with a lower rate of adverse events (42.7% vs 55.6%, P = .047) without additional postoperative complications (38.7% vs 35.5%, P = .693). The neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy group had lower distant metastasis (6.5% vs 16.1%, P = .027) and overall recurrence (11.3% vs 23.4%, P = .019) in the postoperative 1 year. Also, neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy was associated with better progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.32-0.77; P = .002). Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (univariable: hazard ratio, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.37-0.82; P = .003; multivariable: hazard ratio, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.29-0.65; P < .001) was one of the independent prognostic factors for progression-free survival. The 2 groups had similar overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.36-1.09; P = .094) at the latest follow-up.

This retrospective study showed that neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy was safe and effective for patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Further verification is needed in randomized controlled trials.