ArticleBMC cancer2026
Extensive-stage small cell esophageal carcinoma: a retrospective analysis of treatment modalities.
Article in BMC cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features, treatment strategies and outcomes, failure patterns, and prognostic factors impacting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with extensive-stage primary small cell esophageal carcinoma (ES-SCEC).
methodsThis retrospective study included consecutive patients with ES-SCEC diagnosed and treated at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from January 2006 to December 2024. Clinicopathological data related to diagnosis, staging, and follow-up were collected. In patients with available tumor specimens, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to assess the expression of POU2F3 (POU class 2 homeobox 3), standard neuroendocrine markers, thyroid transcription factor-1 and Ki-67. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify prognostic factors, with statistical significance defined as a two-sided p value < 0.05.
resultsAmong the 112 patients with ES-SCEC, the median PFS was 5.0 months (95% CI: 4.4-5.6), and the median OS was 9.0 months (95% CI: 7.9-10.1). Liver metastasis was the most common metastatic site at initial diagnosis (58.9%). The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), the number of chemotherapy (CT) cycle and T stage were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS. Independent predictors of PFS included T stage, CT cycle, and thoracic radiotherapy (TRT). The overall response rate (RR) was 52.7%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 90.2%. Patients receiving CT combined with ICIs (n = 33) achieved significantly longer median OS than those who not treated with ICIs (n = 72) (13.8 months vs. 8.8 months, p = 0.029). Patients treated with TRT (n = 36) demonstrated improved local control and longer median PFS compared with those not receiving TRT (n = 69) (7.9 months vs. 4.1 months, p < 0.001). The combination of CT, ICIs, and TRT was associated with favorable outcomes, with median PFS and OS of 10.1 and 16.9 months, respectively.
conclusionThe addition of ICIs to CT may be associated with improved survival in patients with ES-SCEC. This findings warrant validation in larger cohorts and prospective randomized studies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.