Testing a watch-and-wait approach after combination treatment for esophageal cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT05507411 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated August 2022 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

This trial combines three treatments—radiation, chemotherapy, and an drug called Camrelizumab—to shrink esophageal cancer before surgery. The main question is whether some patients whose cancer completely responds to this combination can safely skip surgery and instead be closely monitored, rather than having the surgery they were originally scheduled for.

Esophageal surgery carries real risks and can affect quality of life. This trial is exploring whether this medication, combined with radiation and chemotherapy, can be so effective that some patients might avoid surgery altogether while staying cancer-free—potentially giving them a better outcome with fewer side effects.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with squamous cell cancer in the middle portion of your esophagus, confirmed by biopsy
your cancer is at a stage that doctors believe can be surgically removed (clinical stage cT2-4aNanyM0 or cT1-3N+M0)
you are between 18 and 75 years old
you have good overall health and lung function strong enough to handle esophageal surgery if needed
you are willing to have multiple imaging tests, endoscopies, and biopsies during the trial

You likely don't qualify if…

you have already received chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy for this cancer
you have severe nerve damage from prior treatments
you have an active autoimmune disease or HIV infection
you have serious heart or lung disease, or a history of lung scarring
you have obvious signs of esophageal perforation, severe ulcers, or uncontrolled bleeding in the esophagus

What participation looks like

You will receive radiation therapy (23 sessions), chemotherapy (nab-paclitaxel and carboplatin), and Camrelizumab together over several weeks. Four to six weeks after finishing, doctors will do scans, an endoscopy, and a biopsy to see how well your cancer responded. If your cancer has completely disappeared, you'll be randomly assigned either to have surgery or to skip surgery and be closely monitored with regular imaging, endoscopies, and biopsies for at least a year. Either way, you may receive additional Camrelizumab infusions to help prevent the cancer from returning.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 19, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(3 sites)

China

The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine (FAHZU), Hanzhou, Zhejiang

Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hanzhou, Zhejiang

Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang