Plain-English translation of NCT04328948 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
Phase 3 — Testing in thousands of people, comparing the treatment against what doctors currently use. This is the last big step before approval.
This trial is testing whether adding radiation to nearby lymph nodes—in addition to chemotherapy and radiation focused on the tumor itself—helps prevent cancer from coming back in people with early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. One group receives chemotherapy with 5-FU and cisplatin along with radiation to the tumor area and surrounding lymph nodes, while the other receives the same chemotherapy with radiation focused only on the visible tumor. The goal is to see which approach works better at preventing recurrence while preserving the esophagus.
Some early esophageal cancers can come back in nearby lymph nodes even after treatment, and doctors want to know whether expanding the radiation field to include these nodes can prevent recurrence without causing more harm or affecting overall survival.
You likely qualify if…
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If you join this trial, you will receive chemotherapy (two drugs given on specific days) combined with a course of radiation therapy over several weeks. Half the participants will receive radiation to the tumor area and surrounding lymph nodes, while the other half will receive radiation focused only on the tumor itself. You will need to attend regular clinic visits for treatment delivery, monitoring, and follow-up scans to track how well the treatment is working and watch for any side effects.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 4, 2026 · Not medical advice
Japan
Phase
Large-scale testing
Sponsor
National Cancer Center, Japan
Enrollment target
~280 participants
Started
July 2020
Primary completion
March 2030
Age range
20 Years and older
Last updated on clinicaltrials.gov in May 2025.
Reach out to the team running this trial. Response times vary — some teams are faster than others.
Central contact
Motoo Nomura, MD/PhD
National Cancer Center Hospital
Tell us you're interested and we'll help connect you with the research team. We'll walk you through what to expect first — no email needed to get started.