Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41081894›Full record

ArticleCancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII2025

Adjuvant immunotherapy fails to improve survival in ypStage I esophageal cancer after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy.

Yan Huang, Fan Dong, Caiyan Fang, Jiadi Wu, Zhichao Li, Jiyang Chen, Xiuying Xie, Hong Yang, Kongjia Luo, Jianhua Fu

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Yan Huang *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Fan Dong *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Caiyan Fang *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Jiadi WuDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Zhichao LiDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Jiyang ChenDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Xiuying XieGuangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Hong Yang *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Kongjia Luo *Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Jianhua FuDepartment of Thoracic Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Esophageal Cancer Institute, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Guangzhou, 510060, China. fujh@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China,China 82272881
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundsWhile adjuvant immunotherapy (AIT) is recommended for non-pathological complete response (non-pCR) patients, its role in ypStage I esophageal cancer (EC) patients with low tumor burden remains unclear. The study aims to evaluate the necessity of AIT for esophageal cancer patients achieving ypStage I following neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NICT) and surgery.

methodsThis retrospective study analyzed 157 ypStage I (ypT0-2N0M0) EC patients treated with NICT followed by surgery in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between 2019 and 2024. Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) adjusted for baseline imbalances between the none adjuvant therapy (NAT, n = 121)  group and AIT (n = 36) group. Survival outcomes analyses and Cox regression analyses were performed.

resultsIn the unmatched cohorts, 3-year overall survival (3-y OS) was 93.53% (NAT) versus 87.68% (AIT) (p = 0.76), and 3-year disease-free survival (3-y DFS) was 86.38% versus 84.17% (p = 0.60). Post-PSM (OS: 91.95% vs. 87.68%, p = 0.81 and DFS: 88.58% vs. 84.17%, p = 0.45) and IPTW-adjusted analyses (OS: 93.74% vs. 87.76%, p = 0.76 and DFS: 87.96% vs. 79.08%, p = 0.60) confirmed no survival advantage for AIT. Cox regression revealed no significant prognostic value of AIT for OS (unmatched cohorts: HR = 1.29, p = 0.757; PSM: HR = 1.270, p = 0.810; and IPTW: HR = 1.760, p = 0.536) or DFS (unmatched cohorts: HR = 1.320, p = 0.597; PSM: HR = 1.720, p = 0.459; and IPTW: HR = 2.230, p = 0.207).

conclusionsPatients with ypStage I EC following NICT and surgery might not benefit from AIT. This study provides a hint for the risk-benefit balance of prolonged immunotherapy exposure in ypStage I patients while preserving clinical efficacy. Further studies are warranted.

Indexed as

Esophageal NeoplasmsImmunotherapyNeoadjuvant TherapyAdultAgedChemotherapy, AdjuvantFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingPrognosisRetrospective StudiesAdjuvant immunotherapyEsophageal cancerNeoadjuvant immunotherapy

Identifiers

PMID41081894
PMCPMC12518190

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.