QL1706 Plus Chemotherapy for Borderline Resectable Esophageal Cancer

NCT ID: NCT07283991

Last Updated: 2025-12-16

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: PHASE2
• Total Enrollment: 24 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-12-30
• Study Completion Date: 2029-08-01

Brief Summary

China bears a disproportionately high burden of esophageal cancer, accounting for approximately 50% of newly diagnosed cases worldwide, with an average 5-year survival rate of only 30%. Esophageal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are the major pathological subtypes, among which squamous cell carcinoma predominates in Asian populations. More than 90% of esophageal cancer cases in China are ESCC.

Optimal treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer remains a matter of debate. Findings from Japanese clinical studies such as JCOG1109 have demonstrated that neoadjuvant chemotherapy can significantly improve long-term survival in patients with locally advanced ESCC. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery has therefore become one of the preferred treatment strategies.

Preclinical evidence suggests synergistic interactions between chemotherapy and immunotherapy, potentially enhancing treatment efficacy. Moreover, clinical trials such as ESCORT-NEO and NCCES01 have validated the safety and effectiveness of immunochemotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer. Consequently, chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for improving survival outcomes in this patient population.

A Phase II clinical trial involving the investigational drug Aparolitolovureli was conducted in 39 patients with unresectable locally advanced ESCC, evaluating a regimen of radical chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy followed by Aparolitolovureli maintenance. The study reported a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 13.99 months, with 12-month PFS and OS rates of 62.1% and 86.2%, respectively, demonstrating encouraging efficacy. These results, together with supporting preclinical data, suggest that immunochemotherapy is both feasible and effective in locally advanced esophageal cancer.

Based on this foundation, our research team proposes a single-arm clinical study in patients with borderline resectable locally advanced ESCC. A total of 24 participants will receive 2-4 cycles of inductive immunochemotherapy with Aparolitolovureli plus cisplatin and paclitaxel. Patients deemed resectable after reassessment will undergo radical esophagectomy, followed by Aparolitolovureli maintenance therapy. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this treatment strategy and provide scientific evidence and clinical guidance to improve the overall prognosis of patients with ESCC.

Conditions

Esophageal Cancer

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Aparolitolovureli plus chemotherapy group

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

chemotherapy combined with Aparolitolovureli immunotherapy

Intervention Type: DRUG

After enrollment, patients will receive first-stage treatment consisting of cisplatin plus nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy combined with Aparolitolovureli immunotherapy for 2 to 4 cycles. If the tumor is assessed as resectable, radical esophagectomy will be performed. If the tumor remains unresectable, definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy will be administered. Following radical esophagectomy, patients will enter the second stage of treatment with Aparolitolovureli maintenance immunotherapy for up to 1 year (a maximum of 14 cycles during the maintenance phase).

Interventions

chemotherapy combined with Aparolitolovureli immunotherapy

After enrollment, patients will receive first-stage treatment consisting of cisplatin plus nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel chemotherapy combined with Aparolitolovureli immunotherapy for 2 to 4 cycles. If the tumor is assessed as resectable, radical esophagectomy will be performed. If the tumor remains unresectable, definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy will be administered. Following radical esophagectomy, patients will enter the second stage of treatment with Aparolitolovureli maintenance immunotherapy for up to 1 year (a maximum of 14 cycles during the maintenance phase).

Intervention Type: DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Histologically confirmed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
• Clinical stage cT4a, or at least one lymph node suspected of invading adjacent structures, or conglomerated/enlarged lymph nodes, or supraclavicular lymph node metastasis.
• No prior anti-tumor treatment before enrollment.
• Age ≥ 18 years.
• ECOG Performance Status score of 0-1.
• Signed written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• Presence of autoimmune disease.
• Requiring systemic corticosteroid therapy or other immunosuppressive medications.
• Symptomatic interstitial lung disease.
• Known hypersensitivity to the investigational drug(s).
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
• Patients of childbearing potential who refuse to use effective contraception.
• Prior treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors or any agents targeting T-cell co-stimulatory/co-inhibitory pathways.
• Any condition deemed by the investigator to increase treatment risk or confound study outcome assessment.
• Prior esophageal cancer-related chemotherapy.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Ruijin Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Hecheng Li M.D., Ph.D

Chair of Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Central Contacts

Hecheng Li

Role: CONTACT

lihecheng2000@hotmail.com

021-021-64370045

Other Identifiers

MR-31-25-068250

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

RTS-028

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id