Phase I/II trial of perioperative avelumab in combination with chemoradiation in the treatment of stage II/III resectable esophageal cancer.

TPS181Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) followed by resection is the standard treatment for patients with stage II and III esophageal cancer. However, about 50% of patients develop recurrent disease after treatment completion. Patients with residual disease at the time of resection (~ 75%) and especially those with persistent lymph node involvement have the worst prognosis. Hence, novel strategies are needed to improve outcomes. A number of preclinical and clinical studies demonstrated synergism between radiation and immunotherapy. In esophageal cancers, CRT has been shown to alter tumor microenvironment with upregulation of PD-L1 expression and increase in CD8+ T lymphocyte infiltration. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated promising activity in metastatic gastroesophageal cancer. Utilizing these agents in earlier disease stages and combining with chemoradiation may increase their efficacy by taking advantage of potential synergism with radiation. This trial will evaluate safety and ...