Esophageal Cancer
Conditions
Brief summary
The primary objective is to determine whether pretreatment-to-posttreatment changes in circulating multigene methylation levels correlate with objective response rates (ORR) assessed by contrast-enhanced CT/MRI and levels of serum tumor markers. Secondary endpoints include: (a) time-dependent association between methylation fluctuation patterns and progression-free survival (PFS), (b) comparative diagnostic accuracy of methylation indices versus conventional biomarkers, and (c) feasibility of using methylation thresholds to guide adaptive therapy modification.
Interventions
Undergo multi-gene methylation testing in blood during follow-up
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Age at initial diagnosis: 18-75 years (inclusive) Confirmed diagnosis: Histologically proven esophageal carcinoma with complete medical records, including (a) definitive pathological diagnosis report, (b) TNM staging per AJCC 8th edition criteria Cancer history: No prior malignancies at other anatomical sites (excluding cured non-melanoma skin cancers/carcinoma in situ) Metastasis status: Radiologically confirmed absence of distant metastases in liver, lungs, or other organs via contrast-enhanced CT/MRI and whole-body bone scan within 4 weeks before enrollment Treatment-naïve status: No previous exposure to (i) esophageal resection surgery, (ii) systemic chemotherapy, (iii) thoracic radiation therapy (\>10 Gy), or (iv) PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors
Exclusion criteria
Life expectancy \<6 months (as assessed by ECOG score ≥4 or Palliative Performance Scale ≤30%) Cognitive/psychiatric conditions: a. Legally incapacitated individuals without legal guardians, b. Active psychotic disorders (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) or dementia (MMSE score \<24) Investigator-determined exclusions
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Multi-gene methylation levels | Group one: Preoperative, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 1.5 years, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years postoperatively. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tumor Markers (including CEA, AFP, CA125, CA19-9, CA72-4, etc.) | Group one: Preoperative, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 1.5 years, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years postoperatively. | Tumor Markers (including CEA, AFP, CA125, CA19-9, CA72-4, etc.) results will be extracted from historical medical records, with test dates typically ranging from baseline (within 3 months pre-enrollment) to follow-up intervals aligned with standard clinical practice (e.g., every 3-6 months post-treatment). These time points may not synchronize with the methylation assessment schedule. |
| Imaging Examinations (including contrast-enhanced CT, PET/CT, ultrasound, X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.) | Group one: Preoperative, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 1.5 years, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years postoperatively. | Imaging examinations (including contrast-enhanced CT, PET/CT, ultrasound, X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, etc.) results will be collected from patient records. Imaging time points are determined by clinical needs (e.g., pre-treatment staging, 3-month post-treatment follow-up), with intervals independent of the methylation analysis schedule. The minimum interval between imaging and methylation sampling will be recorded. |
| Endoscope | Group one: Preoperative, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 1.5 years, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, and 5 years postoperatively. | Endoscoping results will be collected from patient records. Imaging time points are determined by clinical needs (e.g., pre-treatment staging, 3-month post-treatment follow-up), with intervals independent of the methylation analysis schedule. The minimum interval between imaging and methylation sampling will be recorded. |
Countries
China