Progression in the therapies of relapse or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma / 国际肿瘤学杂志

ABSTRACT

Relapse or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Chemotherapy based on platinum agents combined with fluorouracil or taxanes is the standard first-line treatment for it. Molecular-targeting agents, mainly epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors including cetuximab, panitumumab, nimotuzumab and gefitinib, have failed to improve the survival of patients with advanced ESCC. Anlotinib, one of the small molecule multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitors, can prolong the median progression free survival in patients treated with above the second line. Compared with chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors (including nivolumab, pembrolizumab and camrelizumab) significant improve overall survival times in patients with ESCC who fail to the first line chemotherapy, and can be selected as the standard second line treatment. Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy or anti-angiogenic therapy for first-line treatment of advanced ESCC is also being studied.