The antitumour activity of PD-1 inhibitors has been reported in several types of squamous cell cancers. In a multicentre, randomized, open-label, phase III trial, patients with previously treated, unresectable advanced or recurrent oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma were randomly assigned to receive nivolumab (a PD-1 inhibitor) or investigator’s choice of chemotherapy. Nivolumab was associated with a significant improvement in overall survival (P = 0.019) and a favourable safety profile compared with chemotherapy and might represent a new standard second-line treatment option for these patients.
References
Original article
Kato, K. et al. Nivolumab versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma refractory or intolerant to previous chemotherapy (ATTRACTION-3): a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(19)30626-6 (2019)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leake, I. PD-1 inhibitors for oesophageal cancer. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 16, 706 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-019-0237-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-019-0237-4