Multicenter randomized phase 2 trial of systemic therapy with or without local intervention for oligometastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The efficacy of local therapy for patients with oligometastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unclear. The randomized phase 2 ESO-Shanghai 13 trial, at six centers in China, evaluated systemic therapy with or without local intervention (radiotherapy, surgery, or thermal ablation to the metastases) for oligometastatic ESCC. The trial found improved progression-free survival among patients receiving chemotherapy (panel A) as well as among patients receiving anti-PD-1 therapy with or without chemotherapy (panel B). The proportion of patients who had grade 3 or worse treatment-related adverse events was similar between groups. The authors conclude that the addition of local treatment for metastases could significantly improve progression-free survival among patients receiving systemic therapy for oligometastatic ESCC.