Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40547153›Full record

ReviewWorld journal of gastrointestinal oncology2025

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in the first-line treatment of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Minireview for a big shift.

Giulia Massaro, Alexandra Paulet, Daniele Lavacchi, Marco Brugia, Daniele Rossini, Elisa Giommoni, Martina Catalano, Serena Pillozzi, Lorenzo Antonuzzo, Giandomenico Roviello

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in World journal of gastrointestinal oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. 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.

Giulia MassaroSchool of Human Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Alexandra PauletSchool of Human Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Daniele LavacchiOncology Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Marco BrugiaOncology Unit, Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Careggi, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Daniele RossiniDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Elisa GiommoniOncology Unit, Azienda Universitaria Ospedaliera Careggi, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Martina CatalanoDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Serena PillozziDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Lorenzo AntonuzzoDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy.
Giandomenico RovielloDepartment of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence 50134, Tuscany, Italy. giandomenico.roviello@unifi.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Esophageal cancer is an aggressive malignancy often diagnosed at advanced stages, with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma being the predominant subtype worldwide. Standard first-line chemotherapy provides limited survival benefits, with a median overall survival of less than 1 year. Recent advancements in immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have transformed the treatment landscape, improving overall survival and progression-free survival. However, response rates remain variable, with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression being the primary predictive biomarker. The variability in PD-L1 testing methods and immune microenvironment alterations after prior treatments complicate patient selection for ICIs. Several phase 3 trials, including KEYNOTE-590 and CheckMate 648, have demonstrated the efficacy of ICIs combined with chemotherapy, particularly in patients positive for PD-L1. Despite these advances, long-term survival remains low, emphasizing the need for better biomarkers and novel therapeutic strategies. This review explored current first-line treatment options for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, challenges in biomarker-based patient selection, and emerging therapeutic approaches.

Indexed as

Esophageal squamous cell carcinomaFirst-line treatmentImmune checkpoint inhibitorsImmunotherapyProgrammed death ligand 1

Identifiers

PMID40547153
PMCPMC12179869

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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 Socratic graph.