Nal-IRI/LV5-FU versus paclitaxel as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OESIRI)-PRODIGE 62: A multicentre, randomised, non-comparative phase II study

Half of patients newly diagnosed with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) have metastatic disease (mESCC) and therefore a poor prognosis. Furthermore, half of patients with initial loco-regional disease present disease recurrence after surgery and/or chemoradiation. In mESCC, the recommended first-line treatment combines 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin, although this has not been validated by a phase III trial. Patients with disease progression or recurrence after platinum-based chemotherapy and good performance status probably benefit from second-line chemotherapy. Several molecules have been evaluated in phase I/II trials or retrospective studies (docetaxel, paclitaxel and irinotecan) but…

KEYNOTE-975 study design: a Phase III study of definitive chemoradiotherapy plus pembrolizumab in patients with esophageal carcinoma

Despite curative-intent treatment, most patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer will experience disease recurrence or locoregional progression, highlighting the need for new therapies. Current guidelines recommend definitive chemoradiotherapy in patients ineligible for surgical resection, but survival outcomes are poor. Pembrolizumab is well tolerated and provides promising antitumor activity in patients with previously treated, advanced, unresectable esophageal/esophagogastric junction cancer. Combining pembrolizumab with chemoradiotherapy may further improve outcomes in the first-line setting. Here, we describe the design and rationale for the double-blind, Phase III, placebo-co…

P-34 The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial KEYNOTE-975: Pembrolizumab vs placebo in patients with esophageal carcinoma receiving concurrent definitive chemoradiotherapy

Abstract CT282: KEYNOTE-975: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial of pembrolizumab vs placebo in participants with esophageal carcinoma receiving concurrent definitive chemoradiotherapy

Abstract Background: For patients with unresectable esophageal cancer (EC), definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) is a standard treatment option. Platinum plus fluoropyrimidine-based regimens are comparable in dCRT and are considered standard options; however, overall survival (OS) is still poor, indicating a need for more effective therapies. The programmed cell death 1 inhibitor pembrolizumab showed promising response as third- and second-line monotherapy in patients with advanced, unresectable EC in the KEYNOTE-180 and KEYNOTE-181 studies, respectively. In the phase 3 KEYNOTE-181 trial, pembrolizumab extended OS vs chemotherapy in patients with a PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥10. KE…