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Diagnosed with ESSC (squamous cell carcinoma), scheduled for surgery
Hi all, I was diagnosed with stage 2 squamous cell carcinoma I underwent 6 cycles of chemotherapy, than 25 sessions of concurrent chemo + radiotherapy, my surgeon has scheduled me for surgery but due to the location of the tumore which is located very close to my artery and wind pipe my surgeon stated that the surgery will not be curative but a salvage . Has anyone ever done a salvage surgery and what was your outcome , the surgery will be a minimally invasive surgery as well. Please need some help 🙏
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Hi all thank you for your wonderful replies, my surgeon just confirmed that he will not be able to go through with the surgery, He also mentioned that the tumour is dormant because of the concurrent Radiotherapy and chemotherapy. They have advised for me to go for Chemo and immunotherapy. I would like to seek a second opinion as well . Would anyone know of any good hospitals in Australia or India or Malaysia is where I am currently getting treatment. I am from Papua New Guinea by the way . Thank you🙏
I am in my 4th week of radiation/Chemotherapy and am facing a similar decision at the end of 6 weeks of the treatment. It would be total esophagectomy which is very radical. I am 73. My daughter found this study on the AACR (American Association for Cancer Research) blog posted on April 22, 2025 by Neha J. Pancholi, PhD entitled New Treatment Strategies for Esophageal Cancer which looks promising. The new immuno drug he references is Tevimbra. It looks like it is specifically targeting esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. He also references a study done by Lancet Oncology done in November which addresses the survival rate (74%) when foregoing surgery altogether verses opting for surgery with a survival rate of 71%. I am hoping these may be promising alternatives. Hoping your treatment going forward has a good outcome. Sorry that I cannot address your question regarding treatment location. I am from the United States.
Tom S.
I sympathize with your current perdicament re surgery. I1 was deemed ineligible for surgery and was treated with rigorous regimens of radio/chemo/immuno therapies. Unfortunately, I experienced a severe adverse immunologic reaction to the anti-PDL-1 monoclonal antibody, Keytruda. On the plus side, I did experience a good clinical response with significant tumor size and reduction. If your tumors' expression of PDL-1 is > 1 and you are able to tolerate Keytruda infusions, it may be a viable option for you.
As you noted in your post, Tevimbra is a recently approved anti-PDL-1 monoclonal antibody developed by the Chinese pharmaceutical company BeiGene (tislelizumab). It is a drug that binds to the PD-L1 protein to help immune cells better kill cancer cells. It seems to have equal efficacy in treatment responses in both adeno and squamous cell esophageal carcinoma.
Key information about Tevimbra:
Purpose:
It is used to treat certain types of gastric adenocarcinoma, gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, either alone or with other drugs.
Mechanism:
Tevimbra is a type of monoclonal antibody and an immune checkpoint inhibitor, working by blocking PD-L1 to enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer.
Administration:
It is delivered through an intravenous (IV) infusion, typically at a doctor's office, infusion center, or other healthcare location.
Potential Side Effects:
Common side effects can include changes in liver enzymes, high blood sugar, thyroid problems, and skin rashes, while less common or more serious effects like lung or liver inflammation, or allergic reactions, require prompt medical attention.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding:
Effective birth control is recommended during treatment and for 4 months after the last dose for females who can become pregnant, and breastfeeding shourld be avoided during treatment and for 4 months afterward.