
Abstract Purpose: Limited long-term data are available on immune checkpoint inhibitor use in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We report 3-year follow-up data from our study of nivolumab versus chemotherapy (paclitaxel or docetaxel) in patients with previously treated ESCC. Patients and Methods: ATTRACTION-3 was a randomized, multicenter, open-label, phase III trial. Overall survival (OS), time from randomization to death from any cause, was the primary endpoint. An exploratory subanalysis assessed OS according to the best overall response (BOR) with and without landmark at 4 months. Results: Of the enrolled patients, 210 received nivolumab and 209 received chemotherapy. With a minimum follow-up of 36.0 months, OS was longer in the nivolumab versus the chemotherapy group (median, 10.9 vs. 8.5 months; HR, 0.79; P = 0.0264), with 3-year OS rates of 15.3% and 8.7%, respectively. The median OS was longer with nivolumab versus chemotherapy irrespective of the BOR (complete response/partial response: 19.9 vs. 15.4 months; stable disease: 17.4 vs. 8.8 months; and progressive disease: 7.6 vs. 4.2 months). Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events were reported in 40 patients (19.1%) in the nivolumab group and 133 patients (63.9%) in the chemotherapy group. Conclusions: Nivolumab as second-line therapy demonstrated clinically meaningful long-term improvement in OS compared with chemotherapy in previously treated patients with advanced ESCC. The OS was consistently improved in the nivolumab group compared with the chemotherapy group regardless of BOR. Nivolumab was well tolerated over the 3-year follow-up. See related commentary by Yoon et al., p. 3173
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / therapeutic use, Esophageal Neoplasms, Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor, Esophageal Neoplasms* / drug therapy, 610, Nivolumab / administration & dosage, Nivolumab/administration & dosage, Clinical Trials: Immunotherapy, Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/drug therapy, Nivolumab, Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/therapeutic use, Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma* / drug therapy, Humans, Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Esophageal Neoplasms/drug therapy, Follow-Up Studies
Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / therapeutic use, Esophageal Neoplasms, Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor, Esophageal Neoplasms* / drug therapy, 610, Nivolumab / administration & dosage, Nivolumab/administration & dosage, Clinical Trials: Immunotherapy, Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/drug therapy, Nivolumab, Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/therapeutic use, Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma* / drug therapy, Humans, Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Esophageal Neoplasms/drug therapy, Follow-Up Studies
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 31 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
