Three-year survival results from a phase 2 trial of neoadjuvant paclitaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for borderline resectable ESCC

The phase 2 NEOCRTEC trial at Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, China) evaluated neoadjuvant paclitaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil for borderline resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (BR-ESCC). The trial included 47 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Surgery was performed in 27 patients (57.4%), and R0 resection was confirmed in 25 patients (53.2%). Pathologic complete response was seen in four patients (8.5%). The figure shows progression-free and overall survival results. The authors conclude that neoadjuvant paclitaxel plus cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil followed by surgery is feasible and promising in terms of survival among BR-ESCC patients.