A Multicenter Randomized, Controlled Phase III Clinical Trial of Pembrolizumab Plus Paclitaxel and Cisplatin Versus Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Surgery for Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (KEYSTONE-002)
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab plus paclitaxel, cisplatin as neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery, and pembrolizumab as adjuvant therapy, compared with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery for locally advanced ESCC in multicenter.
• Histologically confirmed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma;
• R0 resectable thoracic esophageal cancer, cT1-3N1-2M0, cT2-3N0M0 (AJCC V8 TNM classification);
• No suspicious metastatic lymph nodes on the clavicle;
• Have a performance status of 0 or 1 on the ECOG Performance Scale;
• Age 18-75 years old, both men and women;
• Be willing and able to provide written informed consent/assent for the trial;
• Demonstrate adequate organ function ;
• Female subject of childbearing potential should have a negative urine or serum pregnancy within 72 hours before receiving the first dose of study medication. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required;
• Be willing to provide tissue, blood, and urine samples. Tissue should be from a newly obtained core or excisional biopsy of a tumor lesion through repeated biopsies. Newly-obtained is defined as a specimen obtained up to 4 weeks (28 days) before initiation of treatment on Day 1.
⁃ Have not received systemic or local treatment for esophageal cancer in the past.