PMID- 35557591 OWN - NLM STAT- PubMed-not-MEDLINE LR - 20220716 IS - 2078-6891 (Print) IS - 2219-679X (Electronic) IS - 2078-6891 (Linking) VI - 13 IP - 2 DP - 2022 Apr TI - Toripalimab combined with docetaxel and cisplatin neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a single-center, single-arm clinical trial (ESONICT-2). PG - 478-487 LID - 10.21037/jgo-22-131 [doi] AB - BACKGROUND: More and more evidence has confirmed the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy drugs, such as camrelizumab and pembrolizumab. There are several phase-I/II studies showing that toripalimab has an acceptable safety profile and promising clinical activity in patients with advanced solid tumors. To further confirm its efficacy and safety, the aim of the study was to evaluate toripalimab combined with docetaxel and cisplatin neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: This study was an investigator-initiated, open-label, non-randomized, single-arm, single-center phase II trial (registration number: ChiCTR2100052784). The patients eligible for inclusion criteria at Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from October 2019 to October 2020 were included in this study. Patients who were suitable for surgery underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) within 4-6 weeks after neoadjuvant therapy. Pathological complete response (pCR) and adverse events (AEs) were the primary end points. Secondary endpoints included R0 resection rate, major pathological response (MPR), interval to surgery, and 30-day complications. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients were enrolled from October 2019 to October 2020. All patients successfully completed 2 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. Treatment-related AEs were common during neoadjuvant therapy, with leucopenia the most frequently occurring AE (4/20, 25%). With respect to immune-related AEs, immune dermatitis occurred in 2 patients, including 1 patient with grade I and 1 patient with grade III. Based on radiologic evaluation, the objective response rate (ORR) was 70% (14/20). Twelve patients underwent McKeown MIE. The pCR rate of the primary tumor was 16.7% (2/12), and the MPR rate of the primary tumor was 5/12 (41.7%). The mean interval to surgery was 33.2 days, and no patients experienced delayed surgery due to treatment-related AEs. Pneumonia was the most common 30-day postoperative complication (3/12, 25%). Anastomotic leakage (AL) only occurred in 1 patient during the hospital stay. There were no treatment- or surgery-related deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, toripalimab combined with docetaxel and cisplatin as a novel neoadjuvant therapy was safe and effective in locally advanced ESCC. CI - 2022 Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology. All rights reserved. FAU - Gao, Lei AU - Gao L AD - Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. FAU - Lu, Jieming AU - Lu J AD - Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. FAU - Zhang, Peipei AU - Zhang P AD - Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. FAU - Hong, Zhi-Nuan AU - Hong ZN AD - Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. FAU - Kang, Mingqiang AU - Kang M AD - Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. AD - Fujian Key Laboratory of Tumor Microbiology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China. LA - eng PT - Journal Article PL - China TA - J Gastrointest Oncol JT - Journal of gastrointestinal oncology JID - 101557751 PMC - PMC9086050 OTO - NOTNLM OT - Clinical trial OT - esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) OT - minimally invasive surgery OT - neoadjuvant therapy OT - toripalimab COIS- Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jgo.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jgo-22-131/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. EDAT- 2022/05/14 06:00 MHDA- 2022/05/14 06:01 PMCR- 2022/04/01 CRDT- 2022/05/13 18:05 PHST- 2021/12/31 00:00 [received] PHST- 2022/03/03 00:00 [accepted] PHST- 2022/05/13 18:05 [entrez] PHST- 2022/05/14 06:00 [pubmed] PHST- 2022/05/14 06:01 [medline] PHST- 2022/04/01 00:00 [pmc-release] AID - jgo-13-02-478 [pii] AID - 10.21037/jgo-22-131 [doi] PST - ppublish SO - J Gastrointest Oncol. 2022 Apr;13(2):478-487. doi: 10.21037/jgo-22-131.