A Randomized, Controlled, Double-blind Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Survival of Combining Nimotuzumab Plus Concurrent Chemo-radiotherapy in Loco-regional Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Detailed Summary

Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer death in worldwide. Over the past 2 decades, well-designed clinical trials have documented the clinical benefits of combination of chemotherapy and radiation for localized esophageal cancer, either as primary therapy or in neoadjuvant setting. Paclitaxel, a radiation sensitizer, has important single-agent activity in esophageal cancer. Paclitaxel-based chemoradiation has been the framework for the recent Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) trials of nonoperative management of esophageal cancer. Accumulating clinical evidence suggests that Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) represents a viable target in the treatment of esophageal cancer. EGFR expression is associated with poor prognosis. Nimotuzumab binds specifically to EGFR on both normal and tumor cells and competitively inhibits the binding of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and other ligands, such as Transforming Growth Factor-α (TGF-α). Preclinical models have suggested synergy between nimotuzumab, paclitaxel, cisplatin and radiation. For our phase II study in locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the combination of cetuximab and chemoradiotherapy has demonstrated both response and survival benefits. Myara et al reported that nimotuzumab plus concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) was safe and provided statistically significant objective response (47.8%) and disease control rate (60.9%) in nonresectable ESCC. With all these, the investigators plan to study phase III trial.

Study Details

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Interventions