Background: The application of neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy (NICT) in treating locally advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a subject of considerable research interest. In light of this, we undertook a comprehensive meta-analysis aiming to compare the efficacy and safety of this novel approach with conventional neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in the management of ESCC. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to gather relevant literature on the efficacy and safety of NICT compared to conventional NCT in locally advanced ESCC published before June 2023. Effect indicators, including odds ratios (ORs) with associated 95% CIs, were employed to evaluate the safety and efficacy outcomes. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane bias risk assessment tool, and subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted to investigate the findings further. Results: A total of nine studies qualified for the meta-analysis, all of which investigated the efficacy and safety of NICT compared to conventional NCT. The pooled rates of pathologic complete response and major pathologic response in the NICT group were significantly higher compared to the NCT group, with values of 26.9% versus 8.3% (P<0.00001) and 48.1% versus 24.6% (P<0.00001), respectively. The ORs for achieving pathologic complete response and major pathologic response were 4.24 (95% CI, 2.84–6.32, I²=14%) and 3.30 (95% CI, 2.31–4.71, I²=0%), respectively, indicating a significant advantage for the NICT group. Regarding safety outcomes, the pooled incidences of treatment-related adverse events and serious adverse events in the NICT group were 64.4% and 11.5%, respectively, compared to 73.8% and 9.3% in the NCT group. However, there were no significant differences observed between the two groups in terms of treatment-related adverse events (OR=0.67, 95% CI, 0.29–1.54, P=0.35, I²=58%) or serious adverse events (OR=1.28, 95% CI, 0.69–2.36, P=0.43, I²=0%). Furthermore, no significant differences were found between the NICT and NCT groups regarding R0 resection rates, anastomotic leakage, pulmonary infection, and postoperative hoarseness. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemotherapy demonstrate efficacy and safety in treating resectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Nevertheless, additional randomized trials are required to confirm the optimal treatment regimen.

To determine the prognostic and survival surrogate value of major pathologic response (MPR) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy/chemoimmunotherapy(nCT/nICT) and surgery. A retrospective multi-center study cohort study enrolled 305 ESCC patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy/chemoimmunotherapy followed by esophagectomy. Endpoints included recurrence-free survival (RFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival(L-RFS), distant metastasis-free survival(D-MFS), and recurrence patterns. The Cox regression analysis and Harrell's C-index were used to analyze survival differences and surrogate endpoints. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the subgroup analysis in two subgroups(the patients receiving nICT and patients receiving nCT) and the prognostic value analysis of adjuvant therapy in non-MPR and MPR patients. Of the 305 patients, 105 achieved MPR, demonstrating a significantly improved RFS (P value < 0.001), L-RFS (P value < 0.001), and D-MFS (P value = 0.003). MPR was identified as an independent risk factor for RFS(HR:0.415, 95%CI:[0.227, 0.759], P value = 0.004) and demonstrated equal predictive capacity to be a surrogate of survival endpoints with T stage and N stage(Harrell's C-index: 0.613). In subgroup analysis, patients with MPR showed better survival outcomes in subgroups that received neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (P value = 0.012) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy(P value < 0.001). Additionally, adjuvant therapy did not confer additional survival benefits to both MPR and non-MPR patients. Compared with patients who achieved MPR, non-MPR patients exhibited a higher recurrence rate, although the recurrence sites were similar between the two groups. MPR can serve as an independent prognostic factor and a surrogate of survival endpoints in ESCC patients undergoing nCT/nICT. Besides, as a potential indicator for postoperative management, MPR can provide reference basis and evidence support in clinical practice.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (nICT) is a novel and promising therapy model for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.The objective of this study aimed to assessed the impact of additional neoadjuvant immunotherapy on patients’ short-term outcomes, particularly the incidence of anastomotic leakage (AL) and pathological response. Methods: Patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT)/ nICT combination with radical esophagectomy were enrolled from three medical centers in China. The authors used propensity score matching (PSM, ration:1:1, caliper=0.01) and inverse probability processing weighting (IPTW) to balance the baseline characteristics and compare the outcomes. Conditional logistic regression and weighted logistic regression analysis were used to further evaluate whether additional neoadjuvant immunotherapy would increase the risk of postoperative AL. Results: A total of 331 patients getting partially advanced ESCC receiving nCT or nICT were enrolled from three medical centers in China. After PSM/IPTW, the baseline characteristics reached an equilibrium between the two groups. After matching, there were no significant difference in the AL incidence between the two groups (P=0.68, after PSM; P=0.97 after IPTW), and the incidence of AL in the two groups was 15.85 versus 18.29%, and 14.79 versus 15.01%, respectively. After PSM/IPTW, both groups were similar in pleural effusion and pneumonia. After IPTW, the nICT group had a higher incidence of bleeding (3.36 vs. 0.30%, P=0.01), chylothorax (5.79 0.30%, P=0.001), and cardiac events (19.53 vs. 9.20%, P=0.04). recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (7.85 vs. 0.54%, P=0.003). After PSM, both groups were similar in palsy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (1.22 vs. 3.66%, P=0.31) and cardiac events (19.51 vs. 14.63%, P=0.41). Weighted logistic regression analysis showed that additional neoadjuvant immunotherapy was not responsible for AL (OR=0.56, 95% CI: [0.17, 1.71], after PSM; 0.74, 95% CI: [0.34,1.56], after IPTW). The nICT group had dramatically higher pCR in primary tumor than the nCT group (P=0.003, PSM; P=0.005, IPTW), 9.76 versus 28.05% and 7.72 versus 21.17%, respectively. Conclusions: Additional neoadjuvant immunotherapy could benefit pathological reactions without increasing the risk of AL and pulmonary complications. The authors require further randomized controlled research to validate whether additional neoadjuvant immunotherapy would make a difference in other complications, and determine whether pathologic benefits could translate into prognostic benefits, which would require longer follow-up.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the independent prognostic factors of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and thereafter construct a related prognostic model. Methods: The subjects were screened following the COVID-19 diagnostic criteria. The independent prognostic factors were selected based on the indicators, including medical history, clinical manifestation, laboratory tests, imaging examination and clinical prognosis. Subsequently, we constructed a nomogram model to predict short-term prognosis. Results: Clinical information was obtained from 393 COVID-19 patients admitted to Zhongshan Hospital at Xiamen University between December 2022 and January 2023. The independent risk factors determined by Cox multivariate regression analysis included gender (OR: 0.355, 95% CI: 0.16~0.745), age (OR: 3.938, 95% CI: 1.221~15.9), pectoral muscle index (PMI, OR: 4.985, 95% CI: 2.336~11.443), pneumonia severity score (PSS, OR: 6.486, 95% CI: 2.082~21.416) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, OR: 3.857, 95% CI: 1.571~10.266). A short-term prognostic nomogram was developed based on the five independent risk factors above. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of the nomogram model was 0.857. The calibration curve confirmed the outcomes of the prognostic model, which exhibited excellent consistency with the actual results. Conclusion: In summary, gender, age, pectoral muscle index, pneumonia severity score, and lactate dehydrogenase are all independent risk factors for COVID-19 mortality. Thus, the nomogram based on the above indicators can predict the risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients. This may have the potential of being clinical application in prognostic evaluation of COVID-19.

Background: Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for locally advanced esophageal cancer have drawn significant research interest. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to explore survival benefits of neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NAI) in this group. Methods: A comprehensive analysis was conducted utilizing the SEER database to assess the efficacy of NAI in conjunction with surgery compared to traditional neoadjuvant therapy. The study encompassed clinical and pathological characteristics as well as survival statistics of patients diagnosed with locally advanced resectable esophageal cancer between 2004 and 2014, and from 2019 to 2020. Patient data were categorized into NAI group and conventional neoadjuvant therapy (CNAT) group. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression models, propensity score matching (PSM), and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Results: A total of 3,708 eligible patients were included in this study, among whom 944 received NAI and 2,764 received CNAT. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated a significant improvement in OS and CSS in the NAI group compared to CNAT group (P<0.05). Further Cox regression analysis revealed sex, age, tumor size, grade, SEER summary stage, and treatment modality as independent prognostic factors (P60 mm experienced significantly greater survival benefits from NAI (interaction P values <0.05). The external validation cohort included 154 patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, of which 108 received neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (nICT) group and 49 received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT group). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses identified treatment group [hazard ratio (HR): 0.466, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.225–0.962, P=0.04] as an independent predictor of OS. Conclusions: The combination of NAI with surgical intervention significantly improved survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer. These findings support the integration of immunotherapeutic agents into neoadjuvant treatment, offering promising directions for future clinical strategies and research in the management of esophageal cancer.