Adding anti-PD-1 antibody to definitive chemoradiotherapy in elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: higher intensity does not equate to better outcomes

Key Points

• To evaluate the effect of adding anti-PD-1 antibodies to definitive chemoradiotherapy on clinical outcomes in elderly patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
• Analyzed elderly patients (≥ 70 years) with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy.
• Comparative evaluation of overall survival and progression-free survival before and after the addition of anti-PD-1 antibodies.
• Exploratory analysis of outcomes based on baseline patient characteristics.
• No significant improvement in overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) was observed with the addition of anti-PD-1 antibodies.
• Potential PFS benefits noted in a subset of patients with favorable baseline conditions, though not statistically confirmed.

Abstract