Optimization of combined chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer

<p>Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for inoperable locally advanced esophageal cancer. However, the treatment efficacy remains unsatisfactory. The advancements in immunotherapy have greatly impacted the treatment strategies for multiple malignancies, including esophageal cancer. Several phase I/II clinical studies have shown better survival in patients who underwent immunotherapy combined with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer. Phase III studies are ongoing. There is no recommended optimal combination regimen for immunotherapy combined with chemoradiotherapy. Here, we optimized the treatment regimen of immunotherapy combined with chemoradiotherapy in ten aspects in locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer patients according to recent studies of immunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy in esophageal cancer, aiming to provide valuable clues for designing combinations of immunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer.</p>