Esophageal Cancer

P2, N=48, Recruiting, The First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University

Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy or placebo plus chemotherapy (mFOLFOX6 [modified folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin] or CAPOX [capecitabine and oxaliplatin]). Zolbetuximab plus chemotherapy demonstrated favorable PFS and OS versus placebo plus chemotherapy in the Korean subgroup, with numerically greater efficacy compared with the overall pooled population. This may be potentially attributable to low rates of zolbetuximab discontinuation and toxicity management.

Furthermore, a potential MIR4435-2HG/hsa-miR-125a-5p/NPM1 ceRNA axis was identified. Collectively, these findings indicate that NPM1 contributes to ESCA progression via metabolic modulation and ceRNA regulation, supporting its utility as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

P1, N=260, Not yet recruiting, IDEAYA Biosciences

P3, N=738, Completed, Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | Active, not recruiting --> Completed

P1/2, N=242, Recruiting, VM Oncology, LLC | Phase classification: P1 --> P1/2 | N=82 --> 242 | Trial completion date: Jun 2027 --> Jun 2028 | Trial primary completion date: Dec 2026 --> Dec 2027

P=N/A, N=30, Completed, University Hospital, Lille | Not yet recruiting --> Completed

Propofol exerted an antitumor role in EC advancement at least partly through the circ-PTK2/miR-134-5p/PARP9 axis, providing new insight into the involvement of circRNAs in propofol-mediated effect on EC progression. This study also provides evidence that circ-PTK2 could be developed as a potential therapeutic target for EC patients.

Genipin targets TNK2 to inhibit the progression of ESCC. It provides new insights into the pathogenesis of ESCC and theoretical basis for positioning TNK2 gene as a potential therapeutic target.

We identified ANGPT2, CRIPT, GLA, LMNB1, and MARVELD3 as potential tumor antigens. Our study implies that IS2 phenotype might benefit from mRNA vaccination.

Diagnosis requires systematically excluding other primary squamous cell carcinoma sites (oesophagus, lung, head and neck) before confirming primary gastric squamous cell carcinoma (GSCC).Radical resection (R0) combined with aggressive adjuvant chemotherapy is the optimal treatment strategy, offering the best survival chance even in advanced disease (pT4bN3aM0, LVI+/PNI+).Treatment must be individualised due to a lack of standardised protocols: for this extremely rare malignancy, the decision between upfront surgery versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy should be based on tumour resect ability, biological characteristics and multidisciplinary tumour board discussion.

Finally, we identify current limitations in the field, including inconsistent CLDN18.2 testing criteria, and outline prioritized future directions to optimize integration of CLDN18.2-directed therapies across gastrointestinal cancers. By looking beyond zolbetuximab and incorporating cross-platform comparison, immuno-oncology considerations, and multi-tumor context, this review provides a broad and forward-looking framework to guide clinical application and next-generation research in CLDN18.2-targeted therapy.