Plain-English translation of NCT04821843 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.
Esophageal cancer is serious, and surgery alone doesn't give patients the best chance of survival. This study is testing whether giving chemotherapy or chemoradiation (chemotherapy plus radiation) before surgery—possibly combined with newer drugs like PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies or targeted therapies—can help people with esophageal cancer survive longer and do better overall. Researchers want to figure out which combination of these pre-surgery treatments works best.
Right now, surgery alone only helps about 30 to 40 percent of patients survive 5 years or more. Previous research shows that giving chemotherapy or chemoradiation before surgery improves survival, but doctors don't yet know the optimal combination, especially when adding newer or targeted drugs to the mix.
You likely qualify if…
You likely don't qualify if…
You will receive pre-surgery treatment at the Cancer Institute and Hospital in China. Depending on which group you're assigned to, you'll either receive chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy combined with radiation therapy, and you may receive additional newer or targeted drugs as part of the treatment plan. After completing this pre-surgery treatment, you will have surgery to remove the cancer. The study will follow your health and survival over time to see how well your treatment worked.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 19, 2026 · Not medical advice
China