What is the success rate of immunotherapy for esophageal cancer?

Researchers found that median overall survival was 9.3 months in the pembrolizumab group compared to 6.7 months in the chemotherapy group. The 12-month overall survival rate was 43 percent in patients taking pembrolizumab compared to 20 percent in those receiving chemotherapy, a two-fold increase.

Is immunotherapy successful for esophageal cancer?

For some people with advanced esophageal cancer, two immunotherapy-based combination therapies are more effective than chemotherapy alone, which is the current standard treatment, according to the results of a large clinical trial.

What is advanced esophageal cancer?

Advanced oesophageal cancer means that a cancer that began in the food pipe (gullet or oesophagus) has spread to another part of the body. Unfortunately advanced cancer can’t usually be cured. But treatment might control it, help symptoms, and improve your quality of life for a while.

Can esophageal cancer go into remission?

Currently available combination chemotherapy treatment for stage IV cancer results in complete remission in up to 20% of patients, with average survival of 8-12 months.

How long should you stay on Keytruda?

Keytruda is administered as an intravenous infusion every three weeks. The way the cancer, and the patient, responds to treatment, will dictate its duration. But typically, treatments last up to 24 months in patients without disease progression.

When is surgery not an option for esophageal cancer?

Stage IV esophageal cancer has spread to distant lymph nodes or to other distant organs. In general, these cancers are very hard to get rid of completely, so surgery to try to cure the cancer is usually not a good option.

How do you beat esophageal cancer?

There are many ways to treat esophagus cancer:

• Surgery and radiation therapy are mainly used to treat only the cancer. They do not affect the rest of the body.
• Chemotherapy and targeted therapy and immunotherapy go through the whole body. They can reach cancer cells almost anywhere in the body.