| Title: | Adjuvant nivolumab in resected oesophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy : Slovenian real-world data |
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| Authors: | ID Hribernik, Nežka (Author)
ID Arko, Rozala (Author)
ID Gašljević, Gorana (Author)
ID Reberšek, Martina (Author) |
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| Files: |  PDF - Presentation file, download (828,77 KB)
MD5: 0C57D2E134B4348EAE525F543DC8162F
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| Language: | English |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: |  DRO - Association of Radiology and Oncology
 OI - Institute of Oncology
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| Abstract: | Adjuvant nivolumab has become the new standard of care for patients with oesophageal and gastroesophageal junction cancer (OEC/GEJC) following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (neoCRT) and surgical resection. In Slovenia, this treatment has been in use since January 2022. Here, we report the first Slovenian real-world experience with adjuvant nivolumab. Patients and methods. We conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study of patients with OEC/GEJC who received adjuvant nivolumab after neoCRT and radical resection between January 2022 and December 2023. Data on patient characteristics, treatment completion, disease progression, and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were collected from medical records and analysed via descriptive statistics. Results. A total of 17 patients were included. The median follow-up was 34.6 months (range 11.2–55.7). The cohort included 14 (82%) males, with a mean age of 59 years. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status was 0 for 15 (88%) patients and 1 for 2 (12%) patients. The tumor location was the esophagus in 9 (53%) patients and the gastroesophageal junction in 8 (47%) patients. At diagnosis, 13 (76%) patients were stage III (8th TNM classification). Histology revealed adenocarcinoma (AC) in 12 (71%) patients and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in 5 (29%) patients. Only 6 (35%) patients completed one year of adjuvant nivolumab. Treatment was discontinued in 5 (29%) patients due to disease progression and in 6 (35%) patients due to irAEs. Overall, 11 (65%) patients experienced irAEs of any grade. Grade 3 or 4 irAEs occurred in 4 (24%) patients: myocarditis G4 in 1 (6%) patient and colitis G3 in 3 (18%) patients. No irAE-related deaths were reported. The median disease-free survival (DFS) was 21.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 14.6–28.9). Conclusions. Real-world data from Slovenia indicate that 65% of patients discontinued adjuvant nivolumab prematurely due to disease progression or irAEs. These findings highlight the need for careful patient selection and monitoring when using adjuvant immunotherapy in this population. |
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| Keywords: | oesophageal cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, adjuvant immunotherapy, nivolumab |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Publication date: | 01.01.2026 |
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| Publisher: | Association of Radiology and Oncology |
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| Year of publishing: | 2026 |
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| Number of pages: | str. [1-6] |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 60, no. |
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| Source: | Ljubljana |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DiRROS-30275  |
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| UDC: | 616.3 |
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| ISSN on article: | 1318-2099 |
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| DOI: | 10.2478/raon-2026-0020 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 275560707 |
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| Publication date in DiRROS: | 18.06.2026 |
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| Views: | 34 |
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| Downloads: | 16 |
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