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. 2025 Jul 2:16:1585048.
doi: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1585048. eCollection 2025.

Nimotuzumab plus chemotherapy and immunotherapy as first-line/neoadjuvant therapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Qi Wang #  1 , Zhi Cui #  1 , Muhong Deng #  1 , Guoqing Zhang #  2 , Fangfang Jing #  1 , Yue Ma #  3 , Fang Pang #  4 , Quanli Han  1
Affiliations

Nimotuzumab plus chemotherapy and immunotherapy as first-line/neoadjuvant therapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Qi Wang et al. Front Pharmacol. .

Abstract

Background: Nimotuzumab has shown promising efficacy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the efficacy and safety of nimotuzumab plus chemotherapy and immunotherapy as first-line/neoadjuvant therapy for patients with advanced ESCC remain unclear.

Methods: We performed a real world study of patients with advanced ESCC from December 2019 to April 2024. Patients were classified into resectable and unresectable group. Dosing regimen: nimotuzumab (400 mg, Q3W) plus chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel: 240 mg/m2, paclitaxel liposome: 135-175 mg/m2, platinum: 200-400 mg/m2, Q3W) and immunotherapy (PD-1/PD-L1: 200-240 mg, Q3W). Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were primary endpoints, objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and safety were secondary endpoints.

Results: Totally 55 patients were included, 15 in resectable group and 40 in unresectable group. The median follow-up was 36.70 months and 34.00 months, respectively. In resectable group, ORR was 100.0%, DCR was 100.0%, R0 resection rate was 100.00%, 1-year OS was 84.00%, 2-year OS was 74.67% with 34.46 months median OS, 1-year PFS was 84.00%, and 2-year PFS was 37.33% with 21.68 months median PFS. In unresectable group, ORR was 70.0%, DCR was 90.0%, 1-year OS was 76.70%, 2-year OS was 51.29% with 28.06 months median OS, 1-year PFS was 56.64%, and 2-year PFS was 31.15% with 14.95 months median PFS. 14 (25.5%) patients developed Grade 3-5 adverse events (AEs) not related to nimotuzumab, no serious AEs or deaths occurred.

Conclusion: Our treatment combination for advanced ESCC showed a favorable survival profile, and safety was tolerable.

Keywords: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; immunotherapy; nimotuzumab; resectable; unresectable.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The flowchart.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The short-term efficacy.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
The tumor response and treatment duration.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Kaplan-Meier curves of overall survival and progression-free survival in resectable group (A) and unresectable group (B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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