Durvalumab with chemoradiation for untreated locally advanced unresectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Durvalumab in combination with definitive chemoradiation is in clinical development for the treatment of locally advanced, unresectable oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. This is a type of cancer that begins in the thin, flat cells lining the food pipe (oesophagus), that has spread into surrounding tissues in the oesophagus, and is untreatable by surgery. Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, persistent indigestion or heartburn, weight loss, pain in the throat, and chronic cough. In the UK, oesophageal carcinoma is more common in older people (≥75 years old) and males. There is a need for new treatment options, as most patients experience disease progression within two years of being treated with the current standard of care.