Comparative analysis of immunochemotherapy with versus without radiation therapy for stage IVB esophageal squamous cell carcinoma confined to non-regional nodal metastases: a multicenter propensity score matching study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The survival benefit of adding radiotherapy (RT) to immunochemotherapy (ICT) in patients with stage IVB esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) confined to non-regional lymph node metastases remains uncertain. This study evaluated whether RT combined with first-line PD-1 inhibitor-based ICT improves outcomes.

Methods

In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, 343 patients with stage IVB ESCC (non-regional nodal metastases only; AJCC 8th edition) treated with PD-1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy between 2019 and 2021 were analyzed. Patients were stratified into RT (ICT + RT, n = 181) and non-RT (ICT alone, n = 162) groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) balanced baseline characteristics (age, sex, metastatic sites, etc.), yielding 125 matched pairs. RT (> 40 G

SUBMITTER: Liu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12627314 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature